RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Virgin Music Group’s (VMG) U.K. president Vanessa Bosåen is leaving the company after five years in the role.
The news was first shared by Bosåen in an internal memo to staff on Thursday (Aug. 20) and later in her LinkedIn profile . Billboard U.K. has approached VMG for further comment.
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The news of her departure comes following VMG’s acquisition of Downtown Music earlier this year. In June, VMG announced its new global and regional leadership team with Europe to be led by Nick Roden as the region’s president.
Bosåen joined Virgin in 2021 following its relaunch as a label services producer and distributor by Universal Music Group (UMG). She previously founded Regent Street Records, an independent record label and publishing company, and previously spent 15 years as a touring musician under the name Vanessa Knight.
During her time in the role, VMG worked on successful release campaigns for artists such as Rema , Beabadoobee , Melanie C, Self Esteem, D-Block Europe, Underworld and more. Bosåen was named to Billboard U.K.’s Power Players lists in both 2025 and 2026 .
In the note, Bosåen discussed the team’s achievements during her term. “Together, we’ve grown into one of the group’s flagship businesses. More importantly, we’ve done it by staying true to the values we started with; putting artists first, backing entrepreneurs and building long-term partnerships based on trust.”
She continued, “While I’m incredibly excited about what lies ahead, I’ll always look back on my time at Virgin with enormous pride. Helping to build this business from the ground up, alongside such an extraordinary team, has been one of the defining experiences of my career.”
Read the full statement from Bosåen below.
After six unforgettable years, the time has come for me to share that I’ll be leaving Virgin Music Group.
When I joined at the inception of Virgin Music UK, there were only a handful of us with a big ambition: to build a truly modern music company that put artists, labels and entrepreneurs first. We believed there was an opportunity to do things differently. Six years later, seeing that vision grow into the Virgin Music Group we know today has been a true privilege.
I’m especially proud of what we’ve built here in the UK. Together, we’ve grown into one of the group’s flagship businesses. More importantly, we’ve done it by staying true to the values we started with; putting artists first, backing entrepreneurs and building long-term partnerships based on trust.
We’ve celebrated chart-topping albums, global hit singles, breakthrough campaigns and career-defining moments. From Calm Down, Rema’s collaboration with Selena Gomez, becoming one of the biggest records in the world, to D-Block Europe redefining what independent success can look like in British rap, Beabadoobee’s remarkable international rise, Self Esteem’s extraordinary creative breakthrough, Melanie C’s continued success as an iconic British artist, The Lottery Winners’ UK Number 1 albums, the breakthrough growth of The Royston Club and Dove Ellis, the global dance successes with Tobiahs and ANOTR, partnering with true legends Underworld, James Blake, Van Morrison and Peter Gabriel, and so many more, every success has been built on trust, partnership and an unwavering belief in great artists.
Alongside our incredible UK roster, I’ve also been fortunate to represent and champion some of the world’s biggest and most exciting international artists. From global icons like BTS, Joan Jett, Kings of Leon and LL COOL J, today’s defining voices including Clairo, David Kushner and Bad Omens, through to classical breakthroughs like Timothy Ridout. It’s been a privilege to help connect extraordinary music with UK audiences.
As our UK business grew, so did the wider company. It has been remarkable to watch Virgin evolve from an ambitious new label and artist services business into a truly global organisation.
To have been there at the very beginning — and to have played a part in helping shape that journey — is something I’ll always be immensely proud of.
The hardest part of leaving is, without question, saying goodbye to the people. I’ve been fortunate to work alongside colleagues who have become genuine friends, and with artists, managers and entrepreneurs who placed their trust in us, often at the most important moments of their careers. Thank you for that trust, your support, your belief and your friendship. While I’m incredibly excited about what lies ahead, I’ll always look back on my time at Virgin with enormous pride. Helping to build this business from the ground up, alongside such an extraordinary team, has been one of the defining experiences of my career.
Until we meet again: thank you.
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