Ethiopia Habtemariam has been promoted to president of urban music/co-head
of creative at Universal Music Publishing Group U.S. Formerly executive VP of the
division, she will continue to co-head UMPG’s overall creative operations in the
U.S. with Monti Olson, executive VP/head of pop & rock music. Based out of UMPG’s
Santa Monica, Calif. worldwide headquarters, Habtemariam will report to UMPG president,
North America Evan Lamberg.
This appointment marks Habtemariam’s second promotion in a month’s time. She was
elevated to president of Motown in April. Habtemariam first assumed her dual roles in
2011, when she was simultaneously promoted to executive VP/head of urban music at
UMPG and named senior VP of the revamped Motown.
From UMPG chairman/CEO Zach Horowitz, “Ethiopia has been the key player in making
UMPG’s urban division such an industry powerhouse. Her new role as president of Motown
provides an extraordinary platform to bring added value to our songwriters.”
During her UMPG tenure, which includes a stint as the company’s director of urban music/East
Coast, Habtemariam has assembled a songwriter roster that includes Miguel, J. Cole, Chris
Brown, Hit-Boy, Ari Levine and Phil Lawrence of the Smeezingtons, Ester Dean and Justin Bieber.
The UMPG urban division also includes Eminem, Ne-Yo, Justin Timberlake, Alex Da Kid, Nicki Minaj
and DJ Khalil. Last year, UMPG won publisher of the year at BMI’s R&B/Hip-Hop Awards along
with songwriter (Minaj), producer (Hit-Boy) and song of the year (Minaj’s “Starships”) honors.
Source: Billboard