Today, ASCAP announced that Elizabeth Matthews has been named the new Chief Executive Officer of the organization. Matthews, who has served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel at ASCAP since 2013, was a unanimous choice among the Board’s 12 writer and 12 publisher members. Matthews replaces former ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento, who retired on December 31st after 33 years of service to ASCAP, including 17 years as CEO. Matthews begins her tenure at the helm of ASCAP immediately.
“Now, more than ever, songwriters and composers need an advocate we can trust to ensure our work is valued fairly in a rapidly changing music marketplace,” saidASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams. “What we do is vital to the future of music. Beth’s experience in the global multimedia content sector, her deep understanding of the complexities of the music business and her passion for protecting the rights of music creators make her singularly qualified for the CEO role. Her enthusiasm for taking on the new challenges of the digital era is unparalleled.”
(pictured, l-r) ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams, Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), ASCAP songwriter Ne-Yo, Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC) and Beth Matthews before a 2014 panel discussion hosted by Creative Rights Caucus Co-Chairs Chu and Coble on music licensing updates
As ASCAP’s Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Matthews played an important role in planning ASCAP's future. She led development of a six-year transformative strategic plan that anticipates the future competitive landscape and changing needs of ASCAP members and customers. Matthews was a key internal leader on modernizing ASCAP’s licensing systems and pushing for reform of ASCAP’s consent decree. She also spearheaded ASCAP's support for introducing the Songwriter Equity Act in Congress.
Prior to ASCAP, Matthews served as Executive Vice President & Deputy General Counsel at Viacom Media Networks (formerly MTV Networks) since 1998. There she guided her Business and Legal Affairs teams through the early days of the shift to digital. Previously, Matthews worked in the Intellectual Property and Corporate Groups for Chadbourne & Parke and the Business Technology Group for Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy.
"ASCAP is an expansive, forward-looking and adaptive service organization that successfully built and grew the market for performance rights for songwriters and publishers in the United States. As CEO, I am excited about building upon our unique assets to offer new and innovative services to our members and our licensing partners. As new media platforms transform how people listen to music, it is critical that we evolve our own business model and update outdated music licensing laws to better reflect the reality of today’s music marketplace. I am honored to work on behalf of the world’s greatest music creators who call ASCAP home."
- ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews
Read Matthews' message to ASCAP staff here
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