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BPI announces Jo Twist as new chief executive
By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 28 February 2023
UK record industry trade body the BPI has announced Jo Twist as its new CEO. She joins from UK games and interactive entertainment trade organisation UKIE, and has also previously held positions at the BBC and Channel 4.
Commenting on her appointment, Twist says: “I am delighted to join the BPI at such an exciting time for British music. Having spent the last 25 years working across cutting-edge creative industries I look forward to working with the team as they support their label members and the wider music community in fully realising the value of music – growing the market, boosting exports and ensuring the recognition and backing the industry deserves”.
“The industry’s talent, so passionately nurtured by innovative major and independent record labels, is world leading”, she goes on, “and the BPI plays an important role in creating an environment where labels and their artists can thrive and the next generation of talent can be supported into the industry”.
BPI Chair YolanDa Brown adds: “On behalf of the BPI, its Council and members, I am excited to welcome Jo Twist as our new Chief Executive. In what was a competitive recruitment process she showed great passion, drive and a big heart for music”.
“Jo has outstanding credentials and, along with her fresh perspective, she will bring a rich breadth of experience garnered in games and across the creative industries”, she continues. “This will prove invaluable to the BPI and to UK recorded music as we navigate great changes in our industry. We wish her all the very best in the role and keenly look forward to her arrival this summer”.
Previous chief exec Geoff Taylor announced his decision to step down last year. He was with the BPI for more than fifteen years, and led the trade body during what was initially a very challenging period for the record industry as the shift to digital caused a slump in recorded music revenues, until the streaming boom kickstarted a new era of growth.
Since his departure at the beginning of the year, Chief Strategy Officer Sophie Jones has been acting as interim CEO, and will continue to do so until Twist starts her new job in July.
Commenting on the Twist’s appointment, Jones says: “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jo previously, and her exceptional qualities will serve the BPI and our members well. There is much to do to deliver our goals to support continued investment in new talent, keep the UK music sector strong in a hyper-competitive global market and to tackle the new disruptions on the horizon, such as AI. I’m really looking forward to welcoming Jo to the BPI and working with her”.
Twist held her previous role as CEO of UKIE for more than eleven years.
