Universal International Reveals Global Marketing Execs

LONDON‹With most of Universal Music International's (UMI) senior management formally in place at its London headquarters, the company is lifting the veil on its worldwide marketing team. Under UMI senior VP of marketing and A&R Max Hole, this crew will be helping to advance and direct the fortunes of the company's artists and music in the world outside North America.
"We tried to create the best of both worlds," says Hole, "and we tried hard to establish a pleasant and constructive environment for our artists." He stresses that the restructuring of his department has not distracted the company from its commitment to work current or imminent releases. "Despite what you might hear in the media, when I look at the charts around the world, I see a number of hits by a diverse and exciting roster of UMI artists."
Nevertheless, the company is still having to deal with a number of unresolved issues concerning former Universal and PolyGram executives, among them PolyGram senior VP of pop marketing David Munns and Nick Phillips‹now chairman of Warner Music U.K. The latter, who was managing director of Universal Music U.K. until late last year, has filed suit against his former employer for breach of contract.
On Hole's new, London-based team is Andrew Kronfeld, 30, who becomes VP of marketing for UMI. He previously held the post of director of international marketing for PolyGram International under Munns. Kronfeld will serve as Hole's deputy and have special responsibility for DreamWorks repertoire.
Monica Marin, 33, formerly VP of marketing for PolyGram Continental Europe, becomes UMI's VP of marketing, international repertoire. The role expands her existing responsibility for continental European repertoire to include all repertoire signed outside North America and the U.K.
UMI marketing VPs with international responsibility for North American repertoire are Dennis Ploug (Interscope), Matt Voss (Universal/Motown), Kate Farmer (Island/Mercury), and Yo"l Kenan (MCA). Ploug, 40, was VP of international marketing (Europe) at PolyGram International, while Farmer, 40, and Kenan, 32, were marketing directors at UMI. Voss, 36, was GM of MCA/Geffen at Universal Music U.K.
Liz Morris, who was UMI marketing director for Universal and Interscope's rock repertoire, as well as for Geffen, DreamWorks, and Outpost, exited Feb. 1.
The fact that North American repertoire is handled by four VPs while all other repertoire rests on Marin's shoulders does not mean that North American product will have priority over European releases, according to Hole. "Monica's department is going to be twice as big as the other departments," he says.
U.K. repertoire streaming into UMI will continue to fall under the aegis of Universal Music U.K. senior VP of international Bernadette Coyle. She continues to report directly to the British company's chairman/CEO, John Kennedy, but will work with Hole and Kronfeld.
Tim Delaney, who has been VP of international marketing, continental Europe, at PolyGram International, is understood to be moving to Dublin to become managing director of Universal Music Ireland, with Universal's former local head, David Pennefather, as his deputy. Neither post has yet been confirmed.
Universal had no comment on Munns. Sources say settlement of his employment contract is inching forward, but that at press time, he was continuing to work at his office in the company's London headquarters. Munns declines comment.
Phillips' action against Universal Music U.K. was filed Jan. 27 in the High Court in London. In the writ, he claims the firm owes him 860,400 pounds ($1.4 million), "representing the amount of base salary which would have become due to [Phillips] in respect of the period between 21st July 1998 and 31st December 2000."
The writ refers to a Nov. 15, 1993, letter to Phillips from UMI chairman/CEO Jorgen Larsen, who at the time was president of MCA Music Entertainment International. Phillips claims that Universal Music (U.K.) Ltd. had exercised an option to extend his contract‹which initially ran for three years to Dec. 31, 1996‹to Dec. 31, 2000. He further claims that the contract contained implied terms that "[Universal] would not without prior agreement make fundamental changes to the nature of [Phillips'] job," nor "conduct itself in a manner calculated to destroy or seriously damage the relationship of mutual trust and confidence between itself and [Phillips]."
Phillips' role at Universal was adopted by PolyGram U.K. chairman/CEO Kennedy upon the latter's appointment as chairman/CEO of Universal Music U.K.
Phillips exited Universal last October; he took up the post of chairman of Warner Music U.K. at the beginning of this year. Neither Phillips nor Universal returned calls by press time.