Cindy James has been promoted to General Manager of Virgin Music Group’s North American division.
James, who most recently served as Senior Vice President and Head of Commercial Marketing for Virgin Music, joined the company in 2019 as the Head of Commercial Marketing for Caroline before Caroline transitioned into Virgin Music Label & Artist Services in 2021.
“I have worked with Cindy for the past five years and am incredibly proud to elevate her to the well-deserved position of General Manager for Virgin Music Group North America,” said Jacqueline Saturn, President of Virgin Music Group North America and EVP of Global Artist Relations.
“Cindy has been instrumental in providing leadership and insights across the ever-evolving landscape of our business. Having worked in offices in Australia, London, NY, and LA, she has amassed incredible global knowledge, commercial expertise, and invaluable relationships that will help take our artist and label partners to the next level.”
“CINDY HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN PROVIDING LEADERSHIP AND INSIGHTS ACROSS THE EVER-EVOLVING LANDSCAPE OF OUR BUSINESS.”
JACQUELINE SATURN, VIRGIN MUSIC GROUP
Before her tenure at Universal Music Group-owned Virgin Music Group, James held senior positions in streaming, marketing, digital, and partner development at Island Records and Sony Music Entertainment.
Notably, she played a role in shaping Sony‘s streaming strategies across Sydney, London, and New York. James’ journey in the music industry began with hands-on experience in various roles, including promoter, tour manager, freelance music journalist, and record store manager.
“I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE JACQUELINE TO CONTINUE BUILDING UPON OUR IMPORTANT WORK AS A KEY PARTNER TO THE VISIONARY ENTREPRENEURS ON OUR ROSTER.”
CINDY JAMES, VIRGIN MUSIC GROUP
Commenting on her appointment, James said, “There has never been a more exciting time to be part of the independent music community than right now. I’m looking forward to working alongside Jacqueline to continue building upon our important work as a key partner to the visionary entrepreneurs on our roster.”
James is based at Virgin Music Group’s global headquarters in Los Angeles.
The promotion follows recent strategic deals at Virgin Music including a new partnership with 3AM Entertainment, a label founded by British artist Jay Sean, producer Jeremy Skaller, and talent manager Jared Cotter. The partnership, signed last month, will focus on developing South Asian artists across all genres.
In January, Virgin Music acquired Saban Music Latin, a global music entertainment company founded in 2019 by Haim Saban, Chairman and CEO of Saban Capital Group.