The Music Publishers Association (MPA) has named Faber Music CEO Richard King as its new board chair for a three-year term.
Following the vote by the MPA’s board of directors confirming his position, Richard King will chair his first board meeting on October 22. He succeeds Paulette Long OBE, who remains an MPA board director following the conclusion of her term as chair.
Having served as CEO of independent music publisher Faber Music since 1999, King has more than 25 years of hands-on publishing leadership experience, including classical, film and TV, pop and printed music.
He has led Faber Music's continued expansion, including the acquisitions of UK publisher and composer agency Manners McDade, and the print music business of Edition Peters.
As chair, King will focus on bringing together the MPA’s members around a unified publishing agenda, while drawing on his practical experience as a music publisher to support the organisation’s advocacy work.
This includes continuing to engage with the government on introducing an AI framework that rewards innovation without undermining creativity, protecting creators' rights and likeness, improving transparency over AI training data, and ensuring AI-generated music is clearly labelled.
A priority will be urging the government to turn its recently announced three-year £45 million Plan For Music (Turn It Up) into a sustained, long-term commitment. King will also work to strengthen communication across the MPA and its membership and encourage greater sharing of DEI best practice across the music publishing community.
At a time of enormous change, it is more important than ever that music publishers have a strong and unified voice
Richard King
King previously served as an MPA director from 2002 to 2019 before rejoining the board in 2022. He was a PRS director for 18 years to 2022, a director of PRS Foundation for nine years to 2024 and has been a director of PML since its inception in 2012.
Richard King, MPA board chair and CEO of Faber Music, said: “I’m looking forward to building on the great work of Paulette and the MPA executive team, particularly by using my experience as a music publisher to further amplify our sector’s voice on the issues that matter most to members.
“There is plenty to build on. The government’s recently announced Plan for Music and new National Plan for Music Education are welcome steps, but we need to ensure these initiatives lead to meaningful, sustained long-term change. At a time of enormous change, it is more important than ever that music publishers have a strong and unified voice.”
King will work alongside Peter Jackson, who joined the MPA as managing director in July 2026.
Reporting to MPA Group CEO Paul Clements, Jackson leads the day-to-day management of the trade association and its team, with a focus on maximising the MPA’s voice and value to members.
Jackson has 25 years of experience across music and the creative industries, spanning record labels, music publishing, management, film and advertising. His career began in sync licensing at EMI and Sanctuary Records before he moved into production music in 2005, establishing the UK office of US-based music library Non-Stop Music.
Following its acquisition by Warner Chappell in 2007, Jackson remained with the business and helped grow the UK operation into Warner’s European production music division, with additional offices in Stockholm, Hamburg and Paris.
With Richard leading the board and Peter driving the MPA forward day-to-day, we have a brilliant team in place for this next chapter
Paul Clements
Prior to joining the MPA, Jackson held several positions across the visual effects industry, including at Oscar-winning creative studio Framestore where his role spanned mergers and acquisitions, new ventures and grant funding.
Peter Jackson, managing director of the MPA, said: “This is an exciting time for the MPA and I’m really looking forward to working closely with Richard and the board. My focus is on making sure we translate that collective experience into real value for our members – giving publishers of all sizes a strong platform, listening to what they need from us and maximising the MPA’s impact both in the UK and internationally.”
Paul Clements, CEO of the MPA Group, added: “Richard has been an important voice within the MPA for many years and I know he will bring fresh thinking, challenge and real ambition to the role of chair. Peter has already made a huge impact since joining us, bringing new energy and ideas to the team and a clear vision for how we can do even more for our members.
“I’d also like to thank Paulette for her outstanding leadership and contribution as chair. With Richard leading the board and Peter driving the MPA forward day-to-day, we have a brilliant team in place for this next chapter.”
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