Laura Bessell has been appointed Chief Financial Officer at UK-headquartered physical music and creative packaging manufacturing agency, Key Production Group.
Bessell will work alongside COO Neil Gibbons, reporting directly to CEO and Founder Karen Emanuel.
As CFO, she will be responsible for shaping the company’s financial strategy and supporting long-term business growth.
Bessell brings over 25 years of experience in finance, most recently serving as COO at Argonon, a global production group, where she “led UK and international finance teams through periods of expansion and transformation.”
According to the press release, her appointment comes at a “pivotal moment” for Key Production Group, as it continues to scale operations following an expansion into the European market with the launch of a new German office.
According to Key Production Group, the addition of a new CFO follows a period of “strong growth” for Key Production Group as it expects to see sales of vinyl and physical formats “continue to flourish”.
Commenting on her new role, Laura Bessell, CFO at Key Production Group, said: “Key Production Group has long been a leader in physical music and packaging, so I’m delighted to be joining the team at such an exciting time.
“The move towards an Employee Owned Trust is truly inspiring, and I look forward to working closely with Karen and the team to build upon such strong foundations and grow the business in a sustainable and people-focused way.”
“The move towards an Employee Owned Trust is truly inspiring, and I look forward to working closely with Karen and the team to build upon such strong foundations.”
LAURA BESSELL, KEY PRODUCTION GROUP
The recruitment of Bessell follows the transition of Key Production into an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), where the ownership has been transferred from CEO, Karen Emanuel to the Trust on behalf of the staff.
Emanuel remains CEO and Director of both Key Production Group and the Trust.
Karen Emanuel, Founder and CEO of Key Production Group, said: “We’re really excited to welcome Laura to the Key Production family.
“She brings a wealth of experience and financial knowledge that makes her the perfect individual to help steer Key Production through its next phase of growth.”
“She brings a wealth of experience and financial knowledge that makes her the perfect individual to help steer Key Production through its next phase of growth.”
Karen Emanuel, Key Production Group
Added Emanuel: “We are confident her impact will be felt across the company and we look forward to the journey of new opportunities and challenges ahead.”
In March, a report published by the UK’s recorded music trade body BPI highlighted continued growth in physical music sales in the market.
According to the BPI, vinyl sales rose 2.9% YoY to £145.7 million in the UK ($186.1 million) in 2024.
The BPI noted in its report that vinyl sales in the UK have experienced an extended period of sustained growth, with revenues growing by 650% since 2014.
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