UMG Nashville Promotes Rob Femia, Dawn Gates

Pictured: Rob Femia, Dawn Gates

Universal Music Group Nashville (UMGN) has announced two promotions. Rob Femia has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs and Dawn Gates has been named Senior Vice President of Digital Business & Creative Development for the label group consisting of Capitol Records Nashville, EMI Records Nashville, Mercury Nashville and MCA Nashville.

With over a decade of experience practicing entertainment law, Femia joined UMG Nashville in 2013 following his years at Sony BMG, Virgin Records/Capitol Music Group/EMI Music North America, and Atlantic Records.

“It’s been an incredible journey since getting the call in late-2012 from [UMGN Chairman & CEO] Mike Dungan asking me to come work for UMG Nashville,” says Femia. “Being part of such a top-notch team, led by Dungan, [UMGN President] Cindy Mabe and [UMGN COO] Mike Harris, who run this label group better than anyone else in the business, while always ensuring that we put our artists and their extraordinary talent first, has been an honor. I’m grateful for this recognition and excited to see what’s next.”

“Rob’s knowledge of the music business is second to none. This vast knowledge is evident in his deal-making and the way he works with UMG Nashville artists, managers and associated attorneys,” notes Harris. “Over my career, I have had the honor of working with some of the best attorneys in the business and I put Rob Femia right up there at the top of the list. Mike [Dungan], Cindy and I could not be more proud to acknowledge all of Rob’s hard work with this well-deserved promotion.”

Gates, in a newly created role, will function as a core liaison with UMG global on digital business, integration strategies, commercial growth, and television/film development, as well as overseeing UMG Nashville’s content strategy, execution, and syndication for marketing initiatives.

“The opportunity to expand and grow our business and change the way we partner with digital partners, sponsors, producers and artists is extremely exciting,” shares Gates. “I look forward to amplifying the assets we have, developing original creative content, exploring new opportunities with tv and film, and driving different forms of monetization for our business.”

“Dawn has one of the greatest forward-thinking minds I know,” says Mabe. “Her ability to look ahead and develop the business of the next 5 to 10 years as both a music and media company is critical to our artists growth and has been key to our success as a label group. I am so proud to recognize Dawn in this newly created position of Senior Vice President of Digital Business and Creative Development.”

Gates has served as UMGN’s Vice President of Digital Marketing for the past five years. Previously, she spent seven years with Capitol Records Nashville and eight years with Word Label Group, a division of Word Entertainment, LLC, where she established New Media departments for both labels.

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Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.

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