BPI shake-up yields new legal head

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has recruited a new general counsel as part of a shake-up on its legal department.

Geoff Taylor, deputy general counsel and director of litigation and regulatory affairs at the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has been appointed to the post.

He will take on the role formerly held by Andrew Yates, who was the former general counsel before being promoted to director general. However Yates was made redundant in February this year.

Following his promotion, Yates continued to work with senior in-house lawyer Roz Groome. She will now report to Taylor.

BPI chairman Peter Jamieson appointed Taylor after he spent seven years at the IFPI, which is affiliated with the Recording Industry Association of America. Prior to joining IFPI in September 1997, Taylor worked at the Brussels office of US firm Wilmer Cutler & Pickering, where he specialised in European competition law.