Coronavirus: Sir Lucian Grainge, CEO of Taylor Swift's record label Universal Music Group, tests positive
Sir Lucian Grainge of the Universal Music Group has been tested positive for coronavirus, according to reports. The Universal Music Group chief executive officer and chairman, aged 60, has been hospitalized at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles and is currently undergoing treatment for the COVID-19.
Grainge, who is considered the world's most powerful music executive, joined Universal over 30 years ago and has been the chairman and CEO since 2011. UMG has benefited from a resurgence in the music industry, majorly due to the growth of streaming and has been the mainspring group for bringing hits from the likes of Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Post Malone, and Ariana Grande to the world. Sir Lucian Grainge was ranked No. 1 last year on the Billboard Power 100 chart and was also selected as the Billboard executive of the decade, according to Billboard.
Variety initially reported on the UMG CEO's diagnosis and revealed that Apple Inc. head Tim Cook, Apple services chief Eddy Cue and music executive Irving Azoff attended Grainge's 60th birthday party two weeks ago. According to Billboard, a memo was sent from the UMG executive vice-president of human resources, Guatam Srivastava, to the employees on March 13 that details the company's plans to disinfect their Santa Monica office. The memo additionally confirms that they have contacted each staff member who "may have been in close contact in the last 14 days with the UMG employee who has a confirmed case of COVID-19."
The memo reads, "We understand that everyone is concerned for their own health as well as that of their co-workers, family, friends and our sick colleague". It continues. "Our best understanding is that even if you were in the same indoor environment, but not in close contact with the affected employee, your risk level is low under the CDC framework. For further advice as to what steps are recommended by the CDC, please refer to: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/risk-assessment.html".
The memo adds, "In the meantime, please know that we are taking this matter very seriously. We are arranging for a deep cleaning and disinfection as soon as possible, and we have reached out to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for further guidance."