David Simoné
David Simoné qualified as a lawyer in the UK and entered the entertainment business in business affairs first with an independent label in the UK called Gem Records, and then as head of business affairs at Arista Records. He has been president or chairman of five labels and has successfully run two music publishing companies. From the earliest days of his career, the British-born music man has been in the studio with icons such as Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Axl Rose, Bon Jovi, and George Michael.
At age 29, Simoné became president of Arista Records UK where he worked with Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, The Thompson Twins, the Stray Cats, and Barry Manilow. As President of Mercury Records UK, Simoné worked closely with Tears For Fears, Dire Straits, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Metallica, and Elton John. He also signed Bob Geldof as a solo artist and gave him office space to organize Live Aid. Together, they traveled to the United Nations for Geldof’s presentation, the first ever debate on poverty in Africa at the United Nations.
Next, he became chairman of MCA UK and gave that label their first #1 hit records and profits in eight years.
Simoné then moved to the US where MCA asked him to start a label, Uni Records. There he signed, among other artists, Steve Earle and Erik B and Rakim who, within 10 months of the label launch, had a platinum record.
At this stage David spent two years in Atlanta as partner to renowned lawyer Joel Katz. Simoné became president of Polygram Publishing and worked with artists and acquired the songs and catalogues of Bon Jovi, U2, Elton John, Bob Marley, Simon Climie, Eric Clapton’s “Tears In Heaven”, Joan Osbourne Desmond Child and many more.
When Geffen Records asked him to be head of A&R, he returned to a record label, working with Peter Gabriel, Counting Crows, Courtney Love, Axl Rose, Rob Zombie, and Beck. At every company David ran he was involved on a daily basis with business company affairs and finance. David is a dealmaker who would be the main negotiator in many major artist signings and contract extensions, and was always involved in many other financial negotiations from costs of manufacturing and distribution to licensing of digital rights. He also treated each business as though it was his own.
He has also purchased many catalogs over the years from Greenwich/Barry to Hall and Oates to Earth, Wind and Fire all of which were stellar purchases. Through his career, David Simoné has discovered, nurtured, and encouraged artists and songwriters.
David has also always been a businessman obtaining the best financial results possible. David believes in being a team player and being loyal to his leaders evidenced by his continued friendship with many of his former bosses from Irving Azoff to Eddie Rosenblatt to David Hockman, and still very close friendship with his original mentor and boss in the UK, Laurence Myers of Gem and GTO Records (Heatwave and Billy Ocean).