Gap Enlists Universal Music Leader to Strengthen Board During Brand Transformation

Gap continues to focus on music as an attraction for new generations. In this line, the company has announced this Tuesday the addition of Jody Gerson, president and CEO of Universal Music Group to its board of directors, which now has twelve members.

Gerson has more than three decades of experience in the cultural and music scene. She is also the first female CEO of a music industry giant that controls much of the production and distribution of music heard around the world.

Gap’s Chairman of the Board, Mayo A. Shattuck III, praised the CEO’s ability to “connect culture and commerce. He added: “Her vision and creativity will help us strengthen our brands’ connection to the next generation.

Using music hits is precisely the strategy that Gap has been following in recent times, implemented by its CEO, Richard Dickson, to relaunch the company and connect it with younger consumers.

Gap bets on music hits to connect with younger generations

Gerson has led Universal Music Group’s signing of globally influential artists such as Adele, Harry Styles, Kendrick Lamar, SZA and Coldplay, and has spearheaded landmark acquisitions from the renowned catalogs of Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond and Sting. He serves on the boards of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Ancestry.com, Project Healthy Minds and the National Association of Music Publishers, among others.

“Gap has long been a cultural icon, bringing together fashion, music and identity,“ she said. She also assured that Gap’s renaissance has positioned it as “synonymous with music culture.“

This is not the first signing that Gap has made in recent months. In July, it opted to reinforce its top management with talent from Nike: Maggie Gauger, with twenty years of experience at its competitor, was named global brand president and CEO of Athleta.

According to the latest figures published for the second quarter of the current fiscal year, the US group slowed its growth rate compared to the first part of the year, with cumulative sales of $7.18 billion in the first half of the year. Tariffs wreaked havoc: the company projects an annual impact of $150 million.