Dougie Bruce and Steven Melrose join Epic UK

11 July 2013

Sony Music UK & Ireland today announces that Dougie Bruce and Steven Melrose have taken up the positions of joint-MD A&Rs of Epic UK where they will report to the Sony Music Chairman & CEO Nick Gatfield .  They will oversee a roster of acts that includes the biggest selling male solo artist in the UK, Olly Murs.

 It also announced that they have made their first signing to the label, the artist Example, who is fresh from his recent successful arena tour of the UK.  His fifth studio album, and first for Epic will be released in 2014.

Bruce and Melrose each have extensive A&R experience.  Bruce worked as a Scout at Epic Records, before joining Universal Publishing, where he signed acts such as Adele, Lily Allen and MGMT. He joined Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment in 2009 where he managed acts including Aloe Blacc.  In 2011 he joined Sony Music to head up The Sign Of The Times label, and signed artists including the much anticipated  Foxes.

 Melrose founded the indie label/management company Leftwing Recordings prior to working as an A&R executive at Island Records.  In 2008 he joined Capital Records in the US as VP of A&R and then joined Sony Music  in a senior A&R role in 2012.

Steven Melrose says:  “ We are thrilled to be taking the reins at Epic and are hugely excited and motivated to work on such an iconic label.”

Dougie Bruce says:  "Steve and I are so excited to have this opportunity to lead Epic into a new era, particularly as it’s full circle for myself starting as a Scout for Epic all those years ago. We can't wait to get going."

Former Epic UK MD’s TOPs Henderson and Paul Lisberg will be reprising their roles as joint MD’s (with co-founders Steve Kipner and Andrew Frampton)  as they return to head up the Phonogenic label, which they founded in 2004.

 Nick Gatfield says: “ I’ve known Dougie and Steven a long time, they each have a great mix of A&R and management skills and they will be a strong force together.  I’m also delighted that Paul and Tops will be taking on the task of building the Phonogenic label back up.”