Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) Chairman and CEO Jody Gerson will host Clive Davis’ annual Grammy Awards at the Recording Academy on Saturday, February 2 to receive the 2025 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons honors during the ceremony. This year marks the 50th anniversary of this high-profile event.
Gerson is the third woman to receive the honor, joining then-Chairman/CEO Debra L. Lee of BET Networks (2017) and Atlantic Music Group Chairman/CEO Julie Greenwald (2023). Craig Kallman, chairman and CEO of the company.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement: “Jody is an inspiring leader who champions integrity and inclusivity in everything she does and is a A revolutionary executive, “She has opened doors and propelled the careers of many of the world’s greatest songwriters, while also being one of the biggest advocates for women in music. We are delighted to be hosting an extraordinary evening, Not only did it celebrate her extraordinary influence, it also marked the evening’s incredible 50th anniversary milestone.
“Jodi Gerson is one of the music industry’s most distinguished leaders, and I’m delighted that she will be the recipient of this year’s tribute to an industry icon,” Davis added. “Jodi’s long-standing, groundbreaking commitment to supporting songwriters across the music spectrum, and her tireless dedication to music industry advocacy, diversity, and equality are exemplary. Artists and the industry as a whole are lucky to have someone with such tremendous insight Strong and passionate leaders at the helm.
Davis founded the pre-Grammy party in 1976 when he was looking for a way to celebrate the success of Barry Manilow’s “Mandy,” Arista Records’ first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 (and No. Its first Grammy-nominated album of the year).
Since joining UMPG in 2015, Gerson has transformed the company into a global powerhouse that owns and manages more than 5 million rights. She leads a multinational company with more than 850 employees in 48 offices in 40 countries. She made history as the first female chairman of a global music company and the first woman to be named chief executive of a major music publisher.
Gerson is a member of Universal Music Group’s (UMG) Executive Management Committee.
Gerson ranked 14th advertising billboard2024 Power 100 list. Christine Robinson, advertising billboardSenior Writer (Publishing) writes in her article about Gerson: “As CEO of UMPG, a board member of the National Music Publishers Association, and co-founder of She Is the Music, an organization dedicated to empowering female creators Man, Gerson was one of them.
This is supported by hard facts. From 2013 to 2023, UMPG’s revenue in the United States has grown from US$900 million to more than US$1.9 billion. Over the same time period, the revenue gap between the company and market leader Sony Music Publishing narrowed from $400 million to $188.5 million.
Gerson was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021 as executive producer of the HBO series The Bee Gees: How to Mend a Broken Heartnominated for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special. A year ago, she was nominated for a Grammy as one of the video producers for 2Pac dear mothernominated for Best Musical Film.
Gerson has signed and collaborated with many of the world’s biggest music stars, including Adele, the Bee Gees, Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Lana Del Rey, Ellie Anna Grande, Coldplay, Drake, Billie Eilish, HER, Elton John, Alicia Keys, Steve Lacy, Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, Maren Morris, Prince Estate , Rosalia, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, SZA and The Weeknd. She also led UMPG’s acquisition of hits by Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond and Sting, among others.
A champion and educational advocate for women in music, Gerson is co-founder of the global non-profit organization She is the Music. She also serves on the boards of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the National Music Publishers Association, the New Roads School, and the Healthy Minds Project.
Gershon co-oversaw PolyGram Entertainment, UMG’s film and television development and production arm that produces feature-length films and music-centric series. In 2024 alone, she served as executive producer on a wide range of projects, including Music Box: Yacht Rock: A Documentary; The Beach Boys; STAX: Southville, USA; and Billy Preston: This is God’s plan. Other recent projects executed by Gerson include the projects mentioned above The Bee Gees: How to Mend a Broken Heart and HBO’s music box series. Among the many projects she and PolyGram are developing are documentaries about Bernie Taupin and Prince.
In January 2020, Gerson became the first woman and first music publishing executive to be appointed advertising billboardNamed Executive of the Year on its annual Power 100 list. She has received many other honors, including advertising billboard‘s Powerful Players’ Choice Award; typeHit Producer Executive of the Year; advertising billboardFor being named CEO of the Year in 2015 by Women in Music magazine; rolling stones“Future 25”; typeThe Power of Women in Los Angeles; and 2016 March of Dimes Inspiring Woman of the Year.
The invitation-only Grammy Preliminary Party is sponsored by Hilton, Mastercard and IBM.
Jon Platt, chairman and CEO of Sony Music Publishing, was last year’s winner of the Grammy Salute to Industry Icons.
Here’s the complete list of past winners from the Grammy Preliminary Night.
2005: Ahmed Ertegun
2006: I bought
2007: Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss
2008: Berry Gordy
2009: Clive Davis
2010: David Geffen
2011: Doug Morris
2012: sir richard branson
2013: Antonio “L.A.” Reed
2014: Sir Lucian Grange
2015: Martin Bandier
2016: Irving Azoff
2017: Debra L. Lee
2018: Sean “JAY-Z” Carter
2019: Clarence Avant
2020: Sean “Daddy” Combs
2022: Rob Stringer
2023: Julie Greenwald and Craig Kalman
2024: Jon Platt
