When David Harmsworth joined music licensing company PPL 10 years ago, its remit was just a fraction of the 300,000-plus licences it handles today. He talks to Alex Newman about managing with a relatively lean legal team, why he’s not afraid to stand up to major broadcasters and how a new US licensing regulation could unlock a fresh set of challenges
Next time you are placed on hold by a phone operator or patiently queuing at the hairdresser, listen out for the background music. If it is a piece by an artist you recognise, there’s a fairly good chance PPL legal director David Harmsworth and his team have had a role in that recording reaching your ears. If they haven’t, they still may need to get involved.
