Manuel Pena Appointed Executive Vice President, Operations, Strategic Marketing & Classics For Universal Music Latin America & Universal Music Latin Entertainment

MIAMI, June 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Manuel Pena has been appointed to the newly-created position of Executive Vice President, Operations, Strategic Marketing & Classics for Universal Music Latin America (UMLA) and Universal Music Latin Entertainment (UMLE), which are both divisions of Universal Music Group. This key senior management appointment was announced today by Jesus Lopez, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Universal Music Latin America and Iberian Peninsula, to whom he reports.

Based in Miami, Mr. Pena will oversee three important areas for UMG's businesses in Latin American countries.  For operations, Mr. Pena will oversee manufacturing, distribution, inventory and commercial policies for the region.  In the area of strategic marketing, he will coordinate marketing efforts for UMG's catalog and compilation albums, while continuing to develop television programming throughout the region including the television show "The Voice." For classical music, Mr. Pena will work closely with Gabriela Carrilho, Vice President, International Marketing, UMLA, in order to maximize the audience in the Latin American region for Deustche Grammophon and Decca artists.

"Throughout his career, Manuel has consistently displayed real innovation and talent," stated Mr. Lopez. "I'm confident that he will continue to excel in this new role and play an integral part in helping us achieve our goals in Latin America."

"I am humbled and thankful for Jesus' continued confidence and support," added Mr. Pena. "And I'm looking forward to working with him and UMLA's regional teams in this exciting new capacity."

Mr. Pena brings considerable experience to the post, having joined the team at Universal Music Spain in 1997 as Sales Manager, were he created and developed the commercial sales force before being promoted to Marketing Director in 1999.  In 2001, he relocated to Costa Rica and was promoted to MD of Universal Music Central America, leading UMG to the number one position in that territory for the first time.  He closed the first digital deal in the Region back in 2005 and signed Panama Music, the label that became key in the development of the Reggaeton movement and would later score Pan-Latin number one hits with artists such as La Factoria, Makano and Eddie Lover.  In 2006, Mr. Pena was appointed MD Universal Music Southern Cone (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay), where he was key in the development of Argentine artist Axel throughout the region, signed Diego Torres and played a key role in the introduction of the Latin Urban movement in Argentina.   He was member of IFPI local boards in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, and was president of IFPI Central America. In his most recent role as EVP Non-Recording Activities, Universal Music Latin America, to which he was appointed in 2010, he was responsible for overseeing non-recording new business and TV projects including "The Voice."

SOURCE Universal Music Group