Warner/Chappell UK Chief Richard Manners Leaving After 17 Years

Richard Manners

After 17 years at the helm, WARNER/CHAPPELL UK boss RICHARD MANNERS is leaving the company, according to MUSIC BUSINESS WORLDWIDE and several other sources.

Among MANNERS' signings are RADIOHEAD, THE STROKES, MUSE, PAOLO NUTINI, ELBOW and DAMIEN RICE.

WARNER/CHAPPELL's A&R Director MIKE SAULT left several months ago.

In an internal note sent to staff earlier today WARNER/CHAPPELL CEO JON PLATT called MANNERS “one of the most accomplished executives in our business," and that the company would announce a successor “shortly."

In the interim, PLATT will oversee WARNER/CHAPPELL UK and lead its creative division.

“With over 30 years in music publishing, 17 of them with WARNER/CHAPPELL, RICHARD is one of the most accomplished executives in our business,” said PLATT. “Please join me in wishing him all the best in his future endeavors. He leaves with our utmost respect and gratitude.

“Now more than ever, the UK is a fertile and dynamic breeding ground for great music, and home to many of the most popular and culturally significant songwriters in the world. We can all look forward to building on WARNER/CHAPPELL's achievements and taking our songwriters to new heights."

MANNERS first made his name in the mid-'80s as an A&R at CHRIS BLACKWELL's BLUE MOUNTAIN MUSIC, where he signed the likes of JAMES and had his first #1 with M/A/R/R/S’ "Pump Up The Volume."

He was made Managing Director in 1988 and then moved to ISLAND MUSIC with the same title in 1990, signing PULP, MASSIVE ATTACK, THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH, TRICKY and THE CRANBERRIES.

In 1994, POLYGRAM and ISLAND MUSIC merged, and MANNERS was named Managing Director of the combined company, including writer/artists like ASH, STEREOPHONICS, SUEDE, SPICE GIRLS and BJORK, before moving on to WARNER/CHAPPELL UK in 1999.

Under MANNERS, WARNER/CHAPPELL UK has represented the catalogs of JOHN LYDON, GEORGE MICHAEL, MORRISSEY and ROGER WATERS, among others. 

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