Selina Webb is the EVP of Universal Music in the UK. A former journalist, she joined the company’s Polydor label as Press Director in 1998, rising up to take her current position in 2016. In that time she has established the careers of countless acts, guided the company through ever-changing musical trends across multiple genres, and devised strategies to meet the challenges of constant innovations such as the advent of streaming.  She recently co-authored a book on improving conditions and opportunities for neurodiverse staff, and is playing a leading role in developing mental health support for artists and workers.

In this episode we talk about: 

• How 100,000 new tracks being uploaded daily to Spotify causes competition problems
• Why it takes longer than ever for new artists to cut through, despite there being more ways to discover them
• The pressure on musicians who are constantly connected to audiences through social media
• Why the music industry isn’t the “ruthless” place it’s sometimes portrayed to be.
• What it was like hearing Sam Smith’s voice for the first time, and how Snow Patrol got discovered
• The influence of Fortnite and other video games on modern audiences 
• How to find and secure neurodiverse employees in the creative industries  

For more interviews, news and analysis, go to standard.co.uk/business or pick up the Evening Standard newspaper.

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