MUSIC WEEK, 24 DECEMBER 1994

Warner names Price for PWL

Price takes over as PWL managing director on February 6, after being wooed by Warner Music International head Ramon Lopez and PWL chairman Pete Waterman.

He replaces David Howells, who left the company in July and is now setting up his own label.

Price has been managing director of Warner Music Ireland since 1989, and has enjoyed a working relationship with PWL since Warner bought a 50% share in the company in 1991.

Warner Music chairman Rob Dickens says, "I'm hoping it will put Pete Waterman and PWL back into the mainstream and make the label a spearhead of dance and pop. We would like to build PWL into something that runs alongside Warners and East West, where artists feel they have a long-term career."

He believes the pair will make a formidable team: "Pete Waterman is like an artist - he needs managing - and Peter Price to strong enough to manage him. Together they will make things happen."

Waterman says he is looking forward to working with Price again, "There's a very strong dividing line between what we do, so it's like two halves of the circle," he says.

Price, 43 joined Warner from Virgin Music in 1986 as general manager of the UK arm of Atlantic, before taking over as managing director of Warner Ireland in 1989. He is also a former chairman of the IFPI, Ireland's equivalent of the BPI.

"I'm looking forward to working with Pete Waterman," he says. "There's no-one better around. He's a great finder of talent."

Price's appointment is part of a reshuffle which sees Warner Music UK's director of operations Dennis Woods replace Price as managing director of the Irish label...