Denis Handlin has been appointed as chairman of the Asia/Pacific Regional Board of global recorded music trade body the IFPI.
Handlin, chairman and CEO, Australia & New Zealand and president, Asia, Sony Music Entertainment, was elected at a meeting of the Asia/Pacific Regional Board in Hong Kong this week.
He replaces Lachie Rutherford, president Warner Music Asia Pacific and chairman, Warner Music Japan, who is retiring after serving in the role since 2004. Current COO and CFO of Warner Music UK, Simon Robson, will head up Warner Music Asia Pacific from January 1, 2015. Rutherford will retire in December.
Meanwhile George Ash, president, Universal Music Asia Pacific, has been elected vice chair of IFPI’s Asia/Pacific Regional Board. He replaces Handlin, who had served as vice chair since 2010.
Handlin (pictured with Justin Timberlake) has led Sony Music Entertainment’s operations in Australia for 30 years, recently celebrating his third decade in the role at a charity fundraising gala in Sydney. He started his career with the Australian Record Company (now Sony Music Australia) in 1970, becoming managing director and CEO in 1984.
Handlin was appointed chairman of Sony Music Entertainment Australia in 1996. He is also Sony Music’s longest serving employee globally.
His career expanded to take on responsibility for Sony Music’s operations in South East Asia, South Korea and its Asia Regional Office in 2010, before the rest of the region was added to his brief in 2011.
Handlin is the longest-serving member of the board of ARIA, IFPI’s affiliated national group in Australia, joining the board in 1984 and serving several terms as chairman.
Denis Handlin was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia ‘AM’ in 2005 for his services to music, industry and artists development and his charitable fundraising activities.
Denis Handlin says: “I am delighted to accept the chairmanship of IFPI’s Asia/Pacific Regional Board. We have the seen the recording industry expand its operations across the region over the last few years, in part because of the role IFPI has been able to play in opening up markets and ensuring fair legislation to protect rights holders is in place. I believe we are only starting to tap the potential of emerging markets across Asia and the next few years offer a wealth of opportunity for record companies.”
Frances Moore, chief executive of IFPI, adds: “I am pleased to welcome Denis Handlin as the new chairman of IFPI’s Asia/Pacific Regional Board. He is an executive of unparalleled experience with a long record of accomplishments. His guidance will be vital as IFPI continues its work to establish a better legal environment for record companies to do business in markets across the region.”Music Business Worldwide
