Sony Music UK has hired a longstanding Universal Music senior executive to a newly created role covering catalogue, sync and more.
The major has today announced the appointment of Jack Fryer to run its catalogue, sync teams and digital media agency. Sony’s move underlines the increasing power of data at labels for supporting artist campaigns at every level.
In a statement, Sony said the new role would create a “unified offer to help artists and their teams unlock creative and commercial opportunities”.
Fryer has moved to Sony Music from Universal Music Group UK, where he spent more than a decade in senior strategy roles, most recently leading creative, strategy and data across labels. Prior to that, he worked at EMI Music across campaigns for artists including Emeli Sandé, Swedish House Mafia and Bastille.
He joins the company with immediate effect and will report to Azi Eftekhari, chief operating officer. Eftekhari was previously a colleague of Fryer’s at UMG, where she helmed catalogue alongside Hannah Neaves as co-president of Universal Music’s catalogue division, covering global artists including The Beatles, Elton John, Amy Winehouse, Rolling Stones and Spice Girls
In this new position, Fryer will lead Sony Music UK’s catalogue, home to a roster of iconic recordings, alongside the company’s digital media agency and sync teams, under one strategic umbrella focused on creative innovation.
“The move reflects Sony Music UK’s continued investment in services that help artists build deeper connections with audiences and use digital innovation to drive commercial impact,” added the statement.
Jack is a hugely experienced executive with creative instinct, commercial nous and a real understanding of how artists connect with fans
Azi Eftekhari
Sony Music UK’s in-house digital media team manages all paid digital advertising across the business, supporting labels with the creative & platform strategy to grow artist audiences and drive successful campaigns.
Sony Music’s Michael Jackson leads the way in albums consumption in 2026 so far with catalogue title The Essential on 508,343 units for the year to date (Official Charts Company).
Sony Music titles driving catalogue consumption also include releases by Pitbull, Calvin Harris, Whitney Houston, George Michael, Britney Spears, SZA, Billy Joel, and more. The major also secured two No.1s for Pink Floyd in 2025, following the acquisition of the legendary band’s catalogue.
Azi Eftekhari, chief operating officer, Sony Music UK, said: “Jack is a hugely experienced executive with creative instinct, commercial nous and a real understanding of how artists connect with fans. His energy, curiosity and proven ability to build meaningful relationships across the artist and industry community will be invaluable as we enter this next phase of our catalogue strategy and continue developing digital opportunities for our artists and teams.”
Jack Fryer, president of catalogue, digital media and sync, Sony Music UK, said: “I am obsessed with the evolution of the modern record company. I want to build teams with the kinds of skills that can genuinely make the difference for the artists we work with. The rest is noise as far as I’m concerned. So, the opportunity presented to me – bringing together so many capabilities in one place, all unified around a world class catalogue of music and talent – was frankly irresistible. I can’t wait to get stuck in.”
I want to build teams with the kinds of skills that can genuinely make the difference for the artists we work with
Jack Fryer
Fryer began his career in creative marketing and brand agencies, which shaped his approach to connecting music, culture, brands and audiences. He went on to join EMI and became head of insight at Universal Music UK in 2013, followed by his elevation in 2020 to MD at The Square insight team, the in-house agency launched by Universal working at the intersection of big data, human insight, strategy and creativity.
“We want to be a 21st Century service for a 21st Century music company – a little town-square bursting with different kinds of brains and different kinds of skills to benefit our labels and artists. It needs to feel like a collaborative network, not a centralised service,” Fryer told Music Week at the time in an exclusive report. “Ideas – insightful ideas, strategic ideas, useful ideas, audience ideas, progressive ideas, data-driven ideas, creative ideas, communication ideas, business ideas, innovative ideas – are our currency.”
The high-profile appointment of Jack Fryer at Sony continues an industry trend for new senior roles that reflect the rapidly evolving music ecosystem.
Recent developments include the promotion of UMG’s Frank Briegmann with increased global responsibility across multiple territories to help the major better support artists, as well as the appointment last week of Libby Bush to the newly created role of president, global brands and commercial partnerships at Universal Music Group.
PHOTO: Joe Magowan
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