Michelle Teh has been aappointed as the new Senior Vice President for Universal Music Group’s Global Classics and Jazz (GCJ), division.
The news was announced by President and CEO Dickon Stainer.
An executive with over 20 years’ industry experience, Teh has worked closely with numerous classical and jazz artists, having run international marketing campaigns at UMG for the likes of Andrea Bocelli, Ólafur Arnalds and Alice Sara Ott, from 2012 to 2016.
She returns to GCJ from UMG’s Global Priorities team, where she has spent the last three years overseeing the implementation of international campaigns for artists including Billie Eilish, Sam Smith and The Weeknd.
Teh’s experience, includes a close working relationship with Disney Music Group – with whom she collaborated on the Grammy-winning soundtrack to the animated musical, Encanto – and the launch of Voyage: ABBA’s first new album in over forty years.
Michelle Teh started her professional career in the music industry in Hong Kong, where she worked across nine Asia Pacific music markets, before moving to Singapore in 2006 to work on Formula One Racing’s inaugural F1 ROCKS Live Music broadcast event, a partnership with Universal Music Group which featured Beyoncé, Black Eyed Peas and No Doubt.
In 2012 she joined UMG’s London office, as part of the Classics International team working with Decca, Deutsche Grammophon and Mercury Classics on artist campaigns including Tori Amos, Ólafur Arnalds, Alice Sara Ott and Joseph Calleja.
In this role, she led the international campaign for Andrea Bocelli’s Grammy-nominated Cinema album. UMG says the exec was also “the driving force” behind the music video of Bocelli and Ariana Grande performing E Piu ti Penso, which has been viewed over 60 million times.
Teh moved to UMG’s Global Priorities team in 2016 as Senior Marketing Director, working with labels such as Capitol, Def Jam, EMI, Interscope, Island, Polydor and Republic, on global campaigns for artists including Rihanna, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Sting and Sam Smith.
In this role, she worked on Billie Eilish’s 2019 breakthrough album When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? which went on to win five Grammy Awards.
In 2019, Teh became Vice President, Global Priorities, leading the team out of UMG’s London office and launching ABBA’s first studio album in 40 years, Voyage.
She took on additional responsibilities working with Disney Music Group and in 2022 led on Lin Manuel Miranda’s hugely successful Grammy Award-winning film soundtrack: the animated musical Encanto.
“Michelle has a brilliant track record of attracting diverse audience sectors to different types of music, and her experience will help us build on our successes so far.”
Dickon Stainer, UMG
In making the announcement, Dickon Stainer said: “I’m delighted to welcome Michelle to our division and am thrilled to have such an experienced, forward-thinking and revered executive on board, who can further drive the prosperity of our world-renowned and upcoming artists.
“Michelle has a brilliant track record of attracting diverse audience sectors to different types of music, and her experience will help us build on our successes so far.”
“Classical music and jazz have the power to reach audiences far beyond their immediate fanbases – and through the wealth of platforms and the different ways we connect in the modern world, there is more opportunity than ever ahead of us.
Michelle Teh
Michelle Teh said: “I am excited to bring my global experience to this role.
“Classical music and jazz have the power to reach audiences far beyond their immediate fanbases – and through the wealth of platforms and the different ways we connect in the modern world, there is more opportunity than ever ahead of us.
“Working together with UMG’s phenomenal artists and our fantastic team will be an absolute privilege.”
Music Business Worldwide
