Richard Connell Email & Phone Number

London

As CEO of Europe’s largest independent recording studios, I make sure we deliver a worldclass service to our clients. More than just a recording studio, since my appointment I’ve refocused the business on what it does best and we offer 4 distinct revenue streams; Recording, Mixing, Mastering and Education. Specialising in these areas has clarified our offer to clients, enhanced our industry reputation and we’ve won several awards in recognition. Reporting to the Chairman/Executive Board, I occupy a strategic level role and have led the organisation through radical change and transformation to create a profitable organisation poised for continued growth. This has involved re-organising roles, changing the working culture and focussing on what our artists need. I have oversight of 45 people including a General Manager, Studio Manager, and specialist engineers who do a great job of keeping everything running smoothly for our customers. I lead across all areas including finance P&L, Health & Safety, systems, sales, marketing security, estate and facilities management. No two days are the same, and my work demands superb project management, commercial leadership, prioritisation and organisational skills. Meeting with major artists, planning commercial strategy, and organising the boiler to be serviced can all be in a days work – and I thrive on the challenge this presents.Since my appointment in 2017, the business has reached and sustained profitability; revenue has increased against the backdrop of the pandemic and the complex challenges unique to the music industry. Metropolis is on a path for continued success with the right mix of services, organisational culture, people and vision needed to retain its strong position in the industry.

London, United Kingdom

Inheriting a relatively new business unit this involved leading finance, creative and marketing strategies for the entire division and multiple small labels bought under the Epic and own label brand. With an industry reputation for turning around underperforming business areas, I led transformation and change for the labels refocussing teams, setting targets and providing clear leadership and direction.

London, United Kingdom

Initially General Manager of the Commercial Music Group reporting to the COO, I transformed the profitability of the division by 2011 – turning the division into the most profitable part of the business and generating 80% of all Sony’s profits. The Commercial Music Group was the engine of Sony’s business and an area I could make a major impact with. Applying all my expertise in audience insight to creating and developing products for market was the key driver in deliering profit. Profits reflected charts results and Sony achieved more No. 1 albums during my leadership than any other Sony label and was nominated for an unprecedented number of industry awards. Appointed GM of the newly minted Central Marketing team in 2012 reporting directly to the Chairman the team managed global campaigns for ‘superstar’ artists. Creating campaigns for the corporations’ biggest earners including One Direction, Foo Fighters, Bob Dylan, Beyonce, David Bowie and Pink. Maintaining relationships with internal stakeholders as well as global superstars and their management teams required all my skills aquired over the previous 20 years. Delivering globally impactful campaigns for some of the worlds biggest entertainment brands, while maintaining financial control remains a career highlight

London, United Kingdom

A change and transformation role, my task was to bring Sony into the 21st Century during this time of fast-moving tech, online and digital innovation. An exciting time – I operated close to the Chairman, (and you could argue close to the seat of my pants) and created the ‘Creative Hub’ model for Sony which is still in use today. I bought together functions which were typically provided by agencies and built, launched and ran Sony’s internal creative agency. This included creating the new ‘Insight and Audience Understanding Team’ – which went on to win multiple awards. I had overall leadership of CRM, video and art departments, and developed the UK’s first music marketing segmentation tool the ‘Artist DNA’ processes, which marked the largest internal change programme in Sony on record. My work in segmenting the market, marketing planning and innovative approach to audiences became the blueprint for success clearly setting the tone for audience understanding and planning on play today across Sony's 32 territories .

London, United Kingdom

Hired as a Product Manager, I received rapid promotions to Marketing Manager, Head of Marketing and then Vice-President of Marketing leading marketing and promotion functions across the entire label from 2002 and delivered on all business plan targets 4 years running. Downloading, streaming and the digital economy was emerging and I led the label through this transition – building Columbia’s first Digital Team to respond to this market change and meet the legal elements associated with this. Sony and BMG merged in 2004/2005. I was one of 3 leading this transition and merger, responsible for the marketing and promotions integration whilst also downsizing and reshaping two major record labels into one cohesive entity.

London, United Kingdom

Hired as Product manager and promoted to Marketing Manager. During my time managed the marketing campaigns for Faith No More, Echo and the Bunnymen, All Saints and the brilliant Gay Dad. Music Week Award: for ‘Best Marketing Campaign’.

London Area, United Kingdom

My first ‘proper’ career role in the music industry. Reporting directly to the MD. I joined when there were only four of us working at the label. This instilled into me the need to just get the work done regardless of any defined job role. During this hugely formative time for me this small team worked across artists as successful as Garbage, Ash and Peter Andre.