LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has appointed Jennifer Knoepfle as Executive Vice (EVP) President and co-head of US A&R, effective immediately.
Based in Los Angeles, Knoepfle will report to Jody Gerson, UMPG chairman, and CEO.
In her role as EVP and co-head of US A&R, Knoepfle will work closely with UMPG’s co-head of US A&R, EVP, and head of global creative group David Gray and the team on developing songwriting and talent.
Knoepfle will work with songwriters, artists, and producers; co-lead the A&R team in identifying, signing, and developing rising talent; support legacy talent by providing opportunities to strengthen their careers and further grow the company’s catalog of hits.
Knoepfle joins UMPG from Sony Music Publishing (SMP), where she has worked since 2009 as Senior Vice President (SVP), creative. She was responsible for signing and developing songwriters in the US, including Jack Antonoff, and artists including Willow, Tate McRae, King Princess, Maggie Rogers, and Lord Huron, among others.
Jody Gerson, UMPG chairman and CEO, said: “I am delighted to be reunited with Jennifer and am thrilled she is joining us at UMPG. She is certainly one of the most gifted and accomplished A&R executives in the industry and one that understands the qualities required to make a great songwriter and possesses the instinct of how best to nurture, shape, and strengthen that craft. She joins UMPG to lead our A&R team with David Gray at a truly exciting time, as we further build on UMPG’s global creative strategy, which sets us apart from the industry – nurturing next-generation talent across all territories, supporting music’s biggest superstars, and reinforcing the legacies of songwriting icons.”
Knoepfle said: “I am excited and grateful to be reunited with Jody Gerson at UMPG, who played an integral role in my development and has served as a mentor since bringing me to Sony in 2009. We are both aligned in our belief in identifying and helping to shape tomorrow’s great talents. I look forward to working with the entire US A&R team to deliver creative success for our writers and artists in the future.”
