Bolton School Old Boy Tony Wadsworth, Chairman of the BPI, has
been awarded the CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in
recognition of his services to the British Music Industry.
On hearing the news, Tony said: "I feel both delighted and
humbled to be recognised for my work in an industry that I so
passionately believe in and where I have enjoyed the privilege of
working with some of the world's most inspiring creative
talents."
Tony is Chairman of The BPI - the trade association which
represents the interests of British Record labels. Tony, who
attended Bolton School from 1967-1974, was the longest serving
Chairman and CEO of EMI Music UK and Ireland from 1998 to 2008. In
a 26 year career with the UK based company he held many roles
including Managing Director of Parlophone, the label he relaunched
in the 1990s, achieving sustained hits with artists such as Blur,
Radiohead, Crowded House, Pet Shop Boys, Tina Turner and Queen.
His subsequent elevation to the responsibility for all of EMI's
UK labels saw a sustained period of global success with artists
such as Robbie Williams, Coldplay, Gorillaz, Lily Allen, Kylie
Minogue, Rolling Stones and The Beatles.
Prior to joining EMI, Tony gained a degree in Economics from
Newcastle University and spent the following three years playing in
a band with his college friends. He later worked for various record
labels before joining EMI.
Tony is currently Chairman of both BPI, BRIT Awards Ltd and
Julies Bicycle, the creative industry's environmental organisation:
a BRIT Trustee and a BRIT School Governor. He is a trustee of the
EMI Music Sound Foundation, a charity devoted to improving young
people's access to music, and a trustee of the EMI Archive Trust.
He has an honorary Doctorate in music from the University of
Gloucestershire and holds the post of Visiting Professor in the
music and business schools at his old University in Newcastle. At
the 2008 Music Week Awards he received the Strat Award, one of the
most coveted in the UK music industry in recognition of his
outstanding leadership.