UK Music chief Jo Dipple to stand down

The chief of music industry trade body UK Music, Jo Dipple, will stand down in June 2017 after eight years at the organisation.

Dipple first joined in October 2008 as director of government relations, becoming acting CEO in November 2011, then CEO in January 2012.  Her role centred on representing the most pressing issues affecting the British music industry to national and local government.

“Jo has led the organisation to robust health. She has built an outstanding team full of talent and ambition and has made UK Music into a highly visible presence.”

Andy Heath MBE, chairman of UK Music, said: “Jo has led the organisation to robust health.  Under her leadership, UK Music successfully challenged BIS in the courts over new copyright legislation, helped introduce a Live Music Act, amended DCLG planning law, launched an anti-piracy education campaign, published Measuring Music and Wish You Were Here and prevented Government from cutting BBC music services.

“Her work in launching the UK Music Skills Academy led to a sea-change in training strategy for the sector. Seventy new apprenticeship jobs were created and there exists now a structured approach to improving entry-level access, ensuring open recruitment and driving diversity policies. Jo has built an outstanding team full of talent and ambition and has made UK Music into a highly visible presence. I have really enjoyed working with her over the course of more than eight years.”

Dipple said: “UK Music will attract the very highest candidate to take this role.  It is a unique body with an exceptional membership. I am privileged to have worked with successful industry bosses and supremely talented musicians and creators. Music is part emotion and part business and the UK gets both right over and over again. The founders of UK Music were determined to secure the very best regulatory landscape for this outstanding industry. Its members will continue to bring a practical and business-like approach to opportunities and challenges ahead.”