LONDON, UK (Top40 Charts/ Universal Music UK) Universal
Music Group, the world's leading music company, has today launched a new global direct to consumer (D2C) unit following the integration of the
Digital Stores Limited (DSL) and its market leading technology platform for building and operating D2C (e-commerce) stores.
London-based DSL joins Universal
Music following the acquisition of its parent company EMI Recorded Music. DSL's e-commerce technology will now be Universal Music's standard in-house e-commerce platform for consumer and artist music stores around the world and a global centre of expertise for Universal Music's existing D2C teams. DSL continues to be run by Russel Coultart who has been appointed Vice President Global D2C, reporting to Universal Music's President of Global
Digital Business Rob Wells. Coultart and his team are now based out of Universal Music's London offices.
DSL was co-founded in 2000 by Coultart and has since grown to become one of the leading European online retail service providers for artists and brands. The company currently operates consumer stores for a number of Universal Music's artists - including Emeli Sandé, Bastille,
Empire of the Sun, Professor Green,
Naughty Boy and most recently for
Queen whose new DSL-run online store launched last month, for third party artists and labels including One Direction, Pet Shop Boys, Blur and Mute as well as leading UK online music site recordstore.co.uk which is wholly owned by DSL. The business was acquired by EMI in 2010.
Rob Wells said: "DSL know better than anyone how to run first rate and profitable artist and label digital stores and their D2C technology is the best we've ever seen. We're really pleased to bring them into Universal
Music so we have a strong and experienced partner in this important area for our artists and our business."
Coultart said: "With Universal Music's incredible artists, people and assets, the D2C opportunity for the company around the world is immense and everyone at DSL is very excited about the possibilities ahead of us. We're already exploring some great ideas with our new colleagues and the strength of UMG allows us to deliver an even more effective and seamless service to all of our partners."
