US retail giant Gap Inc. has appointed Jody Gerson, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), to the company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately.
“Gap Inc. has long been a cultural icon, bridging fashion, music, and identity,” said Gerson, in a statement issued on Monday (September 15).
Added Gerson: “I’m honored to join Gap Inc.’s Board of Directors and excited to bring my perspective and experience in the creative industries to the table.
“Equally, I’m energized to support Richard Dickson’s vision and draw inspiration from Gap’s remarkable renaissance as a brand that’s become synonymous with the culture of music.”
Described as a “trailblazer in global music and entertainment,” Gap noted that Gerson brings “more than three decades of leadership at the forefront of culture, where she has championed creativity, inclusion, and innovation”.
The company added: “As the first female CEO of a major music publisher and the first woman to chair a global music company, she has transformed UMPG into a creative powerhouse for songwriters and artists worldwide.”
“Jody is a cultural force in her own right,” said Richard Dickson, President and CEO of Gap Inc.
“Jody is a cultural force in her own right. Her insights into fashiontainment – our platform at the intersection of fashion, music and celebrity – are unmatched.”
Richard Dickson, Gap Inc.
Added Dickson: “Her insights into fashiontainment – our platform at the intersection of fashion, music and celebrity – are unmatched.
“At Gap Inc., we’ve always believed that style is a form of storytelling, and Jody’s ability to amplify voices and shape cultural moments will be invaluable as we continue redefining what it means to be an iconic, purpose-led house of brands.”
“Jody’s ability to connect culture and commerce is exactly what makes her such a dynamic leader,” said Mayo A. Shattuck III, Chair of the Board, Gap Inc. “Her vision and creativity will help us strengthen our brands’ resonance with the next generation of consumers.”
Gap added in its statement announcing Gerson’s appointment that, “since joining UMPG in 2015, Gerson has led the signing of globally influential artists including Adele, Harry Styles, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, and Coldplay, and spearheaded landmark acquisitions of the renowned Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, and Sting catalogs.”
She also serves on the boards of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Ancestry.com, Project Healthy Minds and the National Music Publishers Association, and is a co-founder of the nonprofit She Is The Music.
Gap said that Gerson’s appointment comes on the heels of the company’s viral success with music driven fashion campaigns, such as ‘Better in Denim’ featuring the pop group Katseye, which garnered over 400 million views, 8 billion impressions “and became the No.1 TikTok search”.
The company added that Gerson’s expertise across industries is “critical to [Gap’s] long-term strategy and she will help reinforce the company’s commitment to maintaining a diverse and dynamic Board”.Music Business Worldwide
