Ethiopia Habtemariam, the current chairwoman and CEO of Motown Records, announced on Tuesday that she will be stepping down from her position in order to pursue new opportunities. In a joint statement, Habtemariam and the company said, “It has been the greatest honor to work with some of the most incredible artists, songwriters and partners in the world.”
Habtemariam has been with Motown for over 20 years, starting as an intern at LaFace Records before joining Universal Music Publishing in 2003. She has since worked her way up to become president of urban music and co-head of creative at the company, before taking on a dual role as president of Motown in 2014 and eventually being promoted to chairwoman and CEO in 2021.
Throughout her tenure at Motown, Habtemariam has been recognized as a key player in the music industry, consistently appearing on Variety’s annual Hitmakers list. She has also struck a number of partnerships with creative and entrepreneurial entities, including Quality Control Music, which has produced hits from artists such as City Girls, Migos, Lil Baby, and Lil Yachty. Motown’s roster of artists and companies also includes Blacksmith Records, Since the 80s, and artists Erykah Badu, Kem, and Tiana Major9, among many others.
In her statement, Habtemariam thanked her team at Motown and her colleagues at Universal Music Group (UMG) for their support and said, “I am incredibly proud of what we have created during my tenure, and I consider this the perfect finale to my 20 years at UMG spanning publishing and recorded music.” Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of UMG, also praised Habtemariam, saying, “Under Ethiopia’s leadership, Motown has seen strong growth, continuing its legacy of bringing important new voices to modern culture. Not only has Ethiopia been instrumental in developing and breaking incredible artists, but also she has strategically identified and amplified key partnerships that have been, and will continue to be, cornerstones of the UMG creative ecosystem. While I will miss working with Ethiopia, I know she will achieve great things going forward and she leaves with our enduring love and respect.”
A successor to Habtemariam will be announced at a later date. Habtemariam’s full statement is included below:
“Team:
Some of you may or may not know that the top of 2023 marks my 20th year at Universal Music Group. And, after two amazing decades, I’ve made the incredibly hard decision to leave for my next adventure. I’ll address my future plans soon, but today is all about Motown, UMG and you.
First and foremost, to the Motown team, your commitment to our artists, the legacy of this label, and the community at large is not lost on me. It’s been a privilege and honor to work with each and every one of you and I’m so excited to see how you continue to move Motown forward. Over 60 years ago, Mr. Gordy forged a core for this company – one that respects and celebrates artistry and strongly supports creative entrepreneurship – and this continues to live on thanks to all of you. I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve built.
When I think of my time at UMG, it occurs to me that my career really started at this company. I was a creative manager at UMPG 20 years ago, then by 2010 worked as an A&R consultant and manager while building a creative team at UMPG that signed
