Universal Music Publishing Group Promotes David Kokakis to Senior Vice President, Head of Business & Legal Affairs/Business Development

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Nov 14, 2011, 12:38 ET

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Evan Lamberg, President, Universal Music Publishing Group, North America today announced the promotion of David Kokakis to Senior Vice President, Head of Business & Legal Affairs/Business Development. Mr. Kokakis will report directly to Mr. Lamberg and will be based in the company's world-wide headquarters in Santa Monica, California. Robert Allen, SVP/Head of Business and Legal Affairs, will be leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111114/LA06098)

In this new role, Mr. Kokakis will direct the company's Business Affairs operations in North America, which includes overseeing all contract negotiations and legal matters concerning new and existing songwriter signings, monitoring all copyright infringement matters, and negotiating new digital media agreements. Mr. Kokakis will be instrumental in ensuring that the needs of the company's composers and other clients are optimally served, while maintaining and protecting their rights. His outstanding relationships in the business, legal, and creative communities will serve him to proactively identify and pursue new business opportunities for the company and its clients.

"David has proven himself not only to be a great business affairs executive and leader, but a great team player who, in his new role, will be able to use his overall skill set to work with all departments within Universal Music Publishing Group. This is a well deserved promotion," said Mr. Lamberg.

"I am deeply honored that Evan has entrusted me with this responsibility and look forward to working more closely with the most talented publishing team in the world," said Mr. Kokakis. "I am proud of our achievements thus far and enthusiastic about tackling the challenges we have ahead of us."

During Mr. Kokakis' tenure with the company, he has negotiated exclusive publishing agreements for independent music giant Cash Money Records and its publishing affiliate Money Mack Music (bringing hundreds of Cash Money/Money Mack Music copyrights into UMPG, including from such artists as Nicki Minaj); Glassnote Entertainment/Four Song Night Publishing; GloJoe Music (the music publishing enterprise of Vincent Herbert that signed Lady Gaga's collaborator DJ White Shadow; Aware Records (Gregg Latterman)); Desmond Child (prolific songwriter, producer and hit-maker of more than seventy Top 40 singles); Philip Lawrence (of the hit-making production trio The Smeezingtons); and Jackie Evancho (of "America's Got Talent, named the top selling debut artist of 2010), among many others.

Prior to joining Universal Music Publishing Group in 2009, Mr. Kokakis practiced entertainment law for over a decade at various firms, including Greenberg Traurig, and also served as an executive for several years at an entertainment branding and management company whose clients included television celebrities, entertainers, authors, a book publishing imprint and professional athletes.

About Universal Music Publishing Group

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is the industry's leading global music publishing operation and is part of Universal Music Group. UMPG represents music in every genre from some of the world's hottest songwriters and catalogs including ABBA, Adele, Alex Da Kid, Lily Allen, Beach Boys, Beastie Boys, Leonard Bernstein, Justin Bieber, Bjork, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Desmond Child, Ciara, The Clash, Coldplay, Elvis Costello, The Cure, Daughtry, Ester Dean, Danny Elfman, Eminem, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Jackie Evancho, Juanes, Florence + The Machine, Kirk Franklin, Sean Garrett, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John/Bernie Taupin, Joy Division, R. Kelly, The Killers, BB King, Ari Levine of The Smeezingtons, Linkin Park, Webb Pierce, Henry Mancini, Maroon 5, Mumford + Sons, Prince, Pucinni, Otis Redding, Darius Rucker, Owl City, Sex Pistols, Gustavo Santaolalla, Paul Simon, Britney Spears, Tricky Stewart, 3 Doors Down, Mel Tillis, Justin Timberlake, T-Pain, U2, Keith Urban, Diane Warren, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Bill Withers, among many others. UMPG is also a global leader in the areas of Production Music, Christian and Classical Music. For more information please visit http://www.umusicpub.com.