NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) — Variety is reporting that Mark Williams, president of A&R for Columbia Records, has been relieved of his post at the record label, following the appointment of Ron Perry as Columbia’s new Chairman and CEO earlier this year.
Williams has been at Columbia since 2010 and took over the leadership of the label’s A&R operation in 2015. Williams played a key role in the success of acts such as The Shins, Leon Bridges, and Pharrell Williams while at Columbia.
Perry joined Columbia from SONGS Music Publishing, where he was a partner and served as president since it launched in 2004. SMP’s catalog was acquired by Kobalt’s Capital Fund in a deal announced at the end of 2017.
A source told Variety that Williams had another 10 months left on his current contract, but learned of his early exit from the label this week.
A rep for Columbia declined to comment on the story to Variety.
