[PIAS] has appointed Tom Keil as Global Head of Dance and Electronic & Executive Vice President of A&R.
Keil, whose appointment is effective immediately, will be based in London and will report directly to Russell Crank, Head of A&R (UK).
In addition, the company has launched a new frontline division [PIAS] Électronique, which it says, “will become home to a roster of globally ambitious artists”.
Releasing both singles and albums, [PIAS] says that the imprint will focus on electronic music, ranging from commercial dance hits to “the crossover sounds of the underground”.
Tom Keil is a German music executive, who joins [PIAS] from his role as the General Manager and VP A&R for Ultra Music in Europe.
There, he discovered Felix Jaehn, whose remix for Omi’s Cheerleader became the most successful release in the history of the label, going on to become a global No.1 single including in the US and UK.
Keil started his career in the 1990s as a producer, remixer and topline writer.
In the early 2000s he worked as A&R Manager & Consultant for Superstar Recordings and Universal Music Germany and in 2010 became the new Head of Zeitgeist at Universal Music Germany working with artists including Avicii, Duck Sauce, Otto Knows, Tacabro, Fedde Le Grand and many more.
“I am very happy and proud to be joining [PIAS] and am very grateful to Kenny Gates and the whole team for this great opportunity.”
Tom Keil
Tom Keil said: “I am very happy and proud to be joining [PIAS] and am very grateful to Kenny Gates and the whole team for this great opportunity.
“Besides signing new and exciting artists it is going to be an amazing experience be working with the great catalogue that [PIAS] has built over four decades. It makes me feel like a kid in the candy store!”
“Within 5 minutes of talking with Tom, I found his passion for forward thinking electronic music to be infectious.”
Russell Crank , [PIAS]
Russell Crank said: “Within 5 minutes of talking with Tom, I found his passion for forward-thinking electronic music to be infectious.
“The important records he’s been involved with over his career stand as testament to his deep-rooted understanding of the dance world and I look forward sharing in his excitement for new records over the years to come.”
“The launch of our new [PIAS] Électronique division, which Tom will steer, aligned with our global infrastructure and resources will give us a strong platform to sign and develop fantastic new talent.”
Kenny Gates, [PIAS]
Kenny Gates, [PIAS] CEO, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tom to the [PIAS] family. His experience, expertise and proven track record in the fields of dance and electronic music will add real firepower to our A&R team.
“The launch of our new [PIAS] Électronique division, which Tom will steer, aligned with our global infrastructure and resources will give us a strong platform to sign and develop fantastic new talent.”
Universal Music Group has acquired a minority stake in independent music company [PIAS] for an undisclosed sum.
The deal, which saw UMG acquire a 49% stake in the [PIAS] Group, followed the formation of a strategic global alliance between the two companies in June 2021.
In December 2022, [PIAS] announced it had entered a strategic partnership with Universal Music-owned SpineFarm Records as part of its global strategy.Music Business Worldwide
