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Jon Webster steps down as MMF president

Jon ‘Webbo’ Webster has stepped down as president of the UK Music Managers Forum (MMF) in order to pursue new projects.

Webster, who had been in the role since January 2016 following an eight-year stint as CEO, will spend the immediate future writing a memoir about his time at Virgin Records.

“This process began in 2015 when I told the board I wanted to stop being CEO,” he explains. “All organisations need change to evolve, and my involvement was coming to an end. Annabella Coldrick was recruited as CEO and has proved to be the exact person that we needed to take the MMF forward in an increasingly policy led environment.

“I am very proud of what we have achieved in the last ten years, although there is still much to do, particularly in the area of transparency and fairness for artists and managers”.

“I am not retiring but want to concentrate on writing my memoir about my time at Virgin before taking a long hard look at the world and deciding what lies ahead. I am very happy to leave the MMF in the capable hands of the team and the board. I will try to be available if a temporary extra pair of hands is ever needed, as the MMF holds a significant place in my heart.”

“No one has battled harder than Webbo to get us to this position and to galvanise the management community”

Coldrick adds: “Much of the MMF’s current success and vitality must be attributed to Jon. The organisation now represents more than 500 artist managers around the UK, and has gained a hard-fought reputation as a body that stands up for artist rights and promotes greater education and transparency throughout the music business.

“No one has battled harder than Webbo to get us to this position and to galvanise the management community, and while we sadly accept his decision to step down, the MMF remains as committed as ever to build on his years of work.”

Webster (pictured) started his career as a record shop assistant, joining Virgin in 1981 as a sales manager. He became managing director in 1988, and during his time at Virgin was instrumental in launching the successful Now That’s What I Call Music! brand.

Post-Virgin Records, he founded the Mercury Music Prize and later moved into artist management, joining BPI as director of independent member services in 2005 before being appointed to MMF.

MMF last week published an industry-first guide to mental health for artist managers.

 


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