BBC News | Universal rejects billionaire Bill Ackman's takeover bid

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Universal Music Group rejected billionaire Bill Ackman's Pershing Square $64.3 billion takeover offer, saying it fundamentally undervalues the business and is not in the best interests of shareholders, artists, fans and other stakeholders. The board, confident in CEO‑chairman Sir Lucian Grainge’s strategy, highlighted that the firm runs iconic assets such as Abbey Road Studios and labels like EMI and Island Records, and promised enhanced financial disclosures to better assess its value. Ackman had launched the bid in April, arguing the share price had languished due to financial issues unrelated to its music performance, and blamed a large stake held by the Bolloré Group and a delayed NYSE listing for holding the deal back. Bolloré’s chief executive opposed the offer as well. Universal reaffirmed its commitment to leading the global music industry through innovation, signing top talent and deepening fan engagement, amid ongoing industry challenges such as royalty debates and AI‑generated deepfake songs.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn8pnd9yj4eo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

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Beef By the Numbers - by Stephen Macaulay

Lucian Grainge is an example of a man who literally worked his way up in the music industry.

He started at a company owned by CBS Records, April Music, as an A&R agent in London. That eventually led to RCA Music Publishing. Then to MCA Records. And in 1986, Grainge, who was just 26, setup PolyGram Music Publishing. One thing led to ...

Read more: https://gloriousnoise.com/2025/beef-by-the-numbers

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Universal Music Chief Lucian Grainge Finally Fires Back at Drake, Calling ‘Not Like Us’ Lawsuit ‘Ridiculous’

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Universal Music Chief Lucian Grainge Finally Fires Back at Drake, Calling His ‘Not Like Us’ Lawsuit ‘Ridiculous’
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https://variety.com/2025/music/news/universal-lucian-grainge-calls-drake-lawsuit-ridiculous-1236490322/

Lucian Grainge Fires Back at Drake’s “Farcical” and “Nonsensical” Claims That Universal Wanted to Devalue The Rapper’s Brand
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Aging CEOs, Ambitious Nepo Babies and a Tech Revolution: Succession in the Music Biz
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