BMG names Jamie Nelson & Gemma Reilly to head UK frontline record business

17 February 2020 - Press release

BMG today announces that Jamie Nelson (VP A&R) and Gemma Reilly (VP Marketing UK) are to jointly steer BMG's frontline recordings business reporting to President, Repertoire & Marketing UK Alistair Norbury.

Together Nelson and Reilly have been pivotal in delivering consecutive Number One albums for Kylie, the first Number One album for Jack Savoretti, a Top 10 single for KSI, a Top Five album for Richard Hawley and the crossover successes of both Luke Evans and Aled Jones & Russell Watson.

Following a 2019 in which the company again strongly outperformed the UK market, BMG's 2020 schedule includes major releases from The Shires, Amy MacDonald and Groove Armada. 

According to the Official Charts Company, BMG in the UK increased its album sales by 11.9% against a market decline of 0.4% in 2019. In streaming it increased volume by 24.4% against a market increase of 15.3%.

"We are now the most successful UK record company outside of the three traditional majors," said Norbury. "A&R and marketing are the foundations upon which we consistently deliver for artists and outperform industry trends by maintaining robust physical sales while hitting new heights in streaming."

Gemma Reilly has enjoyed a string of successes at BMG with artists including Jack Savoretti, Rick Astley and Texas, and has previously been named to the Women In Music Roll Of Honour and Management Today's "35 under 35" list. Jamie Nelson joined BMG in 2015, having worked with artists including Kylie Minogue, Lily Allen, and Eliza Doolittle. His work with Kylie on her 2018 BMG album Golden helped return her to the top of the charts in four countries including the UK.

As part of the new structure, Korda Marshall has extended his deal with BMG after five successful years since the sale of his Infectious Music label to the company. He will continue to A&R artists such as The DMA'S, alt-J, RY X, Richard Ashcroft and Morrissey as well as a string of recent new signings to be announced shortly.

Said Norbury, "Korda is a byword for good taste and achievement in A&R, and has justly been named an 'A&R Icon'. We are delighted that five years after the acquisition of Infectious that he has agreed to extend his successful collaboration with BMG. We are privileged to have Gemma and Jamie at the helm whilst retaining the invaluable counsel of Korda Marshall."