Andrew Jenkins to leave UMPG Australia and Pacific after nearly two decades

A long tenure comes to a close

Andrew Jenkins, President of Australia and the Asia Pacific Region for Universal Music Publishing Group, will leave the company on July 1 after nearly two decades in the role. UMPG confirmed the departure on June 1, according to Billboard.

Jenkins first entered the music industry at PolyGram in the U.K. in 1981, where he later served as General Manager and Senior Director of Polydor Records. He joined BMG Music Publishing International in 1993 as Vice President and was promoted to President of BMG Music Publishing International in 2005. When Universal Music Publishing Group acquired BMG Music Publishing in 2006, he continued in senior leadership and eventually took on oversight of publishing operations and creative teams across Australia, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

What he leaves behind

Over the course of his career, Jenkins worked with, signed, or helped oversee relationships with artists and songwriters including the Bee Gees, The Cure, Alanis Morissette, Pete Townshend, Robert Plant, Van Morrison, Guy Sebastian and Tom Waits. He was also a central figure in brokering the SACEM and APRA multi-territory digital licensing arrangements at UMPG, two agreements that shaped how digital licensing operates across the region.

Beyond his role at the company, Jenkins served as Chair of the International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP), as a founding board member of the International Music Publishers Association (IMPA), and as a board member of APRA, AMCOS and AMPAL in Australia.

Tributes and next steps

UMPG Chairman and CEO Jody Gerson called Jenkins "an exceptional leader, colleague and friend" in a formal statement, adding that his dedication to songwriters and artists had left "a lasting impact on both our company and the creative community throughout the region."

Jenkins himself addressed collaborators and colleagues directly: "I am in awe of your genius and grateful for your friendship. It's been amazing. So, until the next time, thank you all."

No successor has been announced. The publishing industry will be watching closely to see who UMPG taps to lead one of its most strategically important regional offices.