(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) –The Island Def Jam Music Group has named Steve Bartels president of Island Records. Bartles will be based in New York.
"I am thrilled to welcome Steve Bartels to our great company," said Antonio "LA" Reid, chairman of Island Def Jam. "I have had the pleasure of working with Steve for several years and experienced first hand his unparalleled expertise, leadership and dedication to artists and their music. Steve is an unbelievable executive; his spirited approach, brilliance at breaking artists and passion for winning make him an excellent choice to guide Island Records towards the future."
"I am truly grateful to LA Reid for this exciting opportunity," said Bartels. "It is a privilege to continue working so closely with LA and to help him execute his vision for Island Records, a company with such a rich history and one of the most dynamic groups of artists and executives in the business.
Prior to joining Island Records, Bartels held a number of key positions at Arista Records. He most recently served as executive vice president. During his time at Arista, he was instrumental in breaking artists such as Usher, Outkast, Pink, Avril Lavigne and Dido. He first joined Arista Records in 1993 as vice president of Special Projects. Prior to joining Arista, he served as national director of Promotion at A&M Records. — Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
