Cindy Mabe Shares Letter to Staff on First Day as Chair & CEO of UMG Nashville

Cindy Mabe has officially begun her tenure as Chair & CEO of Universal Music Group Nashville after serving as the company’s President, stepping into the position on April 1. During her first day on the job, she shared a letter with staff, expressing her gratitude and excitement for her new post and outlining the “next era” of UMG Nashville, not to be confused with whichever Taylor Swift era is your personal favorite.

Notable notes: Along with greeting her team, Mabe's letter revealed that her four major goals for UMG Nashville going forward include signing and developing "the best artists in Country music," expanding partnerships with independent labels and entrepreneurs, broadening the company's "storytelling" to include film and television and collaborating "even closer (and more creatively) with our label colleagues around the world where we can leverage each other’s strengths to break artists who are either signed to their rosters or ours."

Mabe added that her goals will serve to "position this company for creative and commercial growth in what is a rapidly changing and expanding market."

Who’s the boss? Mabe succeeds Mike Dungan, who served as Chair & CEO for over a decade before retiring at the end of March. Mabe has become one of Nashville's top executives and became Music City's highest-ranking female label executive when she was and appointed UMG Nashville President in 2014. Her latest role makes her the first woman to serve as Chair & CEO of a Nashville-based major label group.

What else: Music Row reported yesterday that Royce Risser, Brian Wright and Stephanie Wright have officially exited UMG Nashville. Risser most recently served as Exec. VP of Promotion. Brian Wright most recently held the title of Exec. VP of A&R and Stephanie Wright held the position of Sr. VP of A&R.