John Kennedy (lawyer)
Encyclopedia
John Kennedy is a British entertainment
lawyer
whose career has been largely in the record industry.
, an organisation representing the recording industry worldwide with a membership of 1,400 record companies. He left the organisation in June 2010.
He started his career as a lawyer working at several record companies. In 1983 he set up a private agency specialising in the music industry and in 1985 was awarded an OBE for his work as a trustee of the Band Aid
Trust and Live Aid
.
In 1996 he accepted the post of chairman and CEO at Polygram
Music and Film. He was also appointed chairman and CEO of the newly created Universal UK, the largest record company in the UK, and provided the investment (on behalf of Universal UK) to launch Mamma Mia!
- one of the most successful theatrical productions ever.
In 2001 Kennedy was appointed president and chief operating officer at Universal Music International, the largest and most successful record company in the world. In July 2005 he produced, with Bob Geldof
and Harvey Goldsmith
, the ten Live 8
concerts and DVDs around the world and subsequently, jointly with Geldof and Goldsmith, was made Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
whose career has been largely in the record industry.
Career
John Kennedy was the chairman and CEO of IFPIIFPI
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland...
, an organisation representing the recording industry worldwide with a membership of 1,400 record companies. He left the organisation in June 2010.
He started his career as a lawyer working at several record companies. In 1983 he set up a private agency specialising in the music industry and in 1985 was awarded an OBE for his work as a trustee of the Band Aid
Band Aid
Band Aid may refer to:* Band Aid , a musical ensemble raising money for famine relief* "Band Aid", a song on Pixie Lott's album Turn It Up* Band-Aid, a brand of adhesive bandage** Adhesive bandage, a genericised trademark...
Trust and Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
.
In 1996 he accepted the post of chairman and CEO at Polygram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
Music and Film. He was also appointed chairman and CEO of the newly created Universal UK, the largest record company in the UK, and provided the investment (on behalf of Universal UK) to launch Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
- one of the most successful theatrical productions ever.
In 2001 Kennedy was appointed president and chief operating officer at Universal Music International, the largest and most successful record company in the world. In July 2005 he produced, with Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
and Harvey Goldsmith
Harvey Goldsmith
Harvey Goldsmith CBE is a British performing arts promoter. He is best known as promoter of rock concerts, charity concerts, television broadcasts for the Prince's Trust and more recently the Teenage Cancer Trust shows at the Royal Albert Hall.During early 2007 he appeared on the Channel 4...
, the ten Live 8
Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
concerts and DVDs around the world and subsequently, jointly with Geldof and Goldsmith, was made Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.