TORONTO – After 15 years at the helm, Music Canada president and CEO Graham Henderson, will be stepping down, it was announced Thursday.
“We thank Graham for guiding Music Canada through a period of phenomenal growth and transition, including his dogged domestic and international championing of copyright reform and protection,” said Jennifer Sloan, board chair, in the press release.
“I have been given the great honour and privilege of serving the members of Music Canada and the wider music community for 15 thrilling and rewarding years. And throughout this entire time, I have had the unalloyed joy of working with the most incredibly dedicated, effective team of music lovers in the world: my staff,” Henderson said. “I have absolutely every confidence that the staff, the board and everyone at Sony, Universal and Warner will go forward from strength to strength. I hope that my experience and insight may be of some value down the road.”
As for what’s next for Henderson? “I have one of the best darn poetry websites in the world and you are all welcome to join me as I explore the life and times of the revolutionary writer, Percy Bysshe Shelley,” he said. “He reflects my mood best in these lines: ‘The world’s great age begins anew, The golden years return, The earth doth like a snake renew…A brighter Hellas rears its mountains…Another Athens shall arise’.”
Henderson will continue to serve as CEO until June 17, 2020 and the board will initiate a search to identify a new CEO. In the meantime, it has appointed Jackie Dean, chief operating officer, and Patrick Rogers, vice president corporate affairs, to serve as interim co-CEOs.
Music Canada represents the major record companies in Canada: Sony, Universal and Warner. It also works with some independent record labels and distributors, recording studios, live music venues, concert promoters, managers and artists in the promotion and development of the music business.
