IMPEL has named music lawyer Sarah Williams as its CEO.
The new IMPEL was established outside of the MPA in April 2018 and signed a processing and distribution agreement with SACEM in July 2018. Members include Bucks Music Group, Beggars Music, Reservoir Music, Kassner Music, CTM Publishing and Truelove Music.
Williams is an independent music and entertainment lawyer with a career spanning law, politics, conflict resolution and the non-profit sector. She runs her own legal and business affairs consultancy, Big Picture Legal.
Williams has worked in the music and entertainment field since 1992, when she started advising a number of dance labels. From there she developed her practice in Birmingham and Manchester, eventually moving down to London.
In recent years, she has specialised in publishing, consulting for Sony/ATV, Universal, Warner/Chappell and Concord Music. She has also worked with the Music Publishers Association, in particular on issues of governance and EU compliance.
Williams said: “I couldn’t be more excited to have this chance to lead IMPEL into a period of growth and development. IMPEL’s independent spirit and collaborative ethos chimes exactly with my own and, together with the great team at SACEM, we are going to be at the forefront of innovation in digital licensing. Our vision is to turbo-charge our members’ digital income and energise their digital rights strategy. Watch this space!”
Bucks Music Group’s Simon Platz and Beggars Music’s Andy Heath were confirmed as IMPEL chairman and president respectively at the organisation’s first AGM in October 2018.
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