Universal Music Group’s Def Jam Recordings has appointed Tim Pithouse as its General Manager.
Pithouse, who most recently served as President at entertainment management company Three Six Zero, brings extensive experience to the role. At Def Jam, he will oversee label operations, reporting to Def Jam Recordings Chairman & CEO Tunji Balogun.
He will be based at Def Jam’s New York headquarters.
Pithouse spent two years at Three Six Zero, where he oversaw management, recordings, publishing, and film and television operations. During his tenure there, he helped produce global campaigns for a range of talents including Calvin Harris, WILLOW, Marcus Rashford, FKA Twigs, Skepta, Dom Dolla, and Kid Cudi.
He also previously held leadership roles at The Orchard, Sony Music Entertainment Australia, EMAP Australia, Next Publishing and Granada in the UK. At The Orchard, he established the company’s Artist & Label Services division globally, signing acts such as Baby Keem, Tems, Daniel Caesar, Jack White, and Caroline Polachek. He also initiated strategic partnerships with Human Resources, Nvak, and Terrible Records during this period.
He spent 12 years at Sony Music Entertainment in Sydney, Australia, where he progressed through several roles from Account Manager to General Manager of Marketing & Artist Development.
Pithouse maintains additional industry connections as an advisor for Metallic Creative Agency and the Creative Futures Collective charity.
“Not only is Tim a world class executive, he’s also the rare person in our business who understands how culture moves and always has his finger on the pulse of what’s next.”
Tunji Balogun, Def Jam Recordings
“Def Jam has long stood at the creative intersection of artistry, success and culture. Having the opportunity to be part of this dynamic team and again work with Tunji Balogun and his unrivalled style and taste, is a privilege. I’m thrilled to be here and honored to help write the next chapter of this iconic label,” said Pithouse.
Commenting on the appointment, Balogun said, “I’ve known Tim Pithouse for almost a decade, going back to our days at Sony Music where we worked closely together to develop and break several new artists.
“Not only is Tim a world class executive, he’s also the rare person in our business who understands how culture moves and always has his finger on the pulse of what’s next. His breadth of knowledge and instinctive ability to interact with artists and their teams will be integral in helping to carry out our overall vision for the label. I’m thrilled to welcome Tim to the family at Def Jam.”
The appointment follows a restructuring of its Universal Music Group’s US-based frontline labels last year, with Def Jam Recordings now part of REPUBLIC Collective alongside Island Records, Mercury Records, and Republic Records.
Def Jam has been headed by Balogun since January 2022. Artists under the imprint’s roster include Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Alessia Cara, LL COOL J, and Muni Long, among others.
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