Lucian Grainge

Lucian Grainge, CBE, is Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s leading music company.

Grainge has spent his entire career in the music industry and has signed and worked with many worldwide stars, including, among many others, ABBA, Elton John, Eurythmics, Metallica, JAY Z, Rihanna, U2 and Amy Winehouse. Over the span of a quarter century, Grainge has not only pioneered new approaches to the signing and development of the world’s most successful recording artists and songwriters but has consistently championed the development of innovative business models and partnerships with a wide range of technology and media partners around the world. His inspiring leadership has been recognized as having laid the foundation for a return to growth in recent years of an industry that had been suffering more than a decade of decline.

Grainge joined Universal Music in 1986 to launch PolyGram Music Publishing UK. Within five years, he had led the fledgling division to become one of the top three publishing companies in the UK. He was subsequently appointed Deputy Chairman, and then, in 2001, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Music UK. In 2005, he was named Chairman and Chief Executive of Universal Music Group International before assuming his current position in 2011. Since becoming Chairman in CEO, Grainge has dramatically improved the financial performance of UMG by significantly increasing the company’s revenues and profitability. In 2011, he led UMG’s successful acquisition of the recorded music assets of the legendary British music company EMI, revitalizing its iconic Capitol Records, and, in the process, further strengthening UMG’s position as the global leader in music. Under his leadership, the company set numerous creative records including being the first music company with nine of the top 10 songs on Billboard’s Digital Songs chart and the first music company to score all 10 of the top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100.

Grainge has been recognized for his many achievements through the years.

In 2014, he was awarded the President’s Merit Award (“Icon Award”) by The Recording Academy. In 2013, he topped Billboard Magazine’s “Power 100″ list as the most powerful executive in the music industry. In 2008, he was awarded the prestigious Music Industry Trusts’ Award as one of the most influential and successful executives in global entertainment. For his service to global creative industries, he was recognized in Britain’s New Years Honors and awarded Commander Of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2010, and in 2011 he was made an Officier des Arts et Lettres by the French Government.

In 2012, Grainge was appointed a UK Business Ambassador with a special remit from Prime Minister David Cameron on global media and entertainment. In 2011, he was named a Trustee of the American Friends of the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. Grainge serves on the boards of Dreamworks Animation and Northeastern University. Mr. Grainge lives in Los Angeles with his wife and children.