Meet the Team: Michael Williams, Senior Legal & Business Affairs Executive

We caught up with Michael to find out more about his day job – and his rewarding work to help improve representation, inclusion and support across the business and beyond.

What made you want to be part of PPL – and what were you doing before?

After studying music management at university I started working at EMI records doing licensing for compilation albums. I decided to do a conversion course to become a lawyer – and my goal was always to return to the music business. 

After three years of studying, I qualified and in 2012 I started my career as a lawyer at BBC Studios (the commercial arm of the BBC). After two years there, I joined DreamWorks Animation – transitioning over to Universal Studios following the acquisition of DreamWorks. It was all great experience, but I really wanted to get back into music so in 2019, when I heard about the role at PPL, I was very interested.  

PPL has a unique place in the music industry, and I knew it would be a fascinating place to work. Meeting with David Harmsworth and Camilla Waite during the interview process confirmed that PPL was the place for me. They were just the sort of people I wanted to work with and learn from. 

What’s a typical day in your role?

One of the positives about the role is that we support every team in PPL, which means there is always variety in the work the Legal team is doing day-to-day. We also have to balance working on existing matters and supporting the business with any urgent matters as and when they come up. All of this means that there isn’t really a typical day in this role, which is something I very much enjoy.  

Given my prior legal experience in the TV industry, I often work closely with the Licensing team to support their activities licensing TV and radio services in the UK. While I was keen to move back to the music industry when I moved to PPL, I have enjoyed being able to bring the benefit of my prior experience at the BBC and DreamWorks to this role.  

What are your top priorities right now?

We’re currently going through negotiations to renew agreements with some of our bigger broadcast licensees. Given the important income that these licences generate, providing legal support for this work is a key priority for me.  

A core aim for PPL is to get the best possible outcome for our members. The use of commercially released music on television and radio enriches those services, and I think this should be fairly reflected in the value flowing back to those who create that music. At the same time, we also want our licensees to come away from their negotiations with PPL with a positive impression of the organisation. Being mindful of these two goals is something that I really enjoy about my role. 

What are some of the biggest challenges?

Contractual negotiations often have a lot of moving parts, and our licences can sometimes be complex documents to navigate. A key challenge for me in this role is to ensure that the final version of any licence is an accurate and understandable documentation of what was agreed. This is not always an easy goal to achieve.   

Another challenge for me is negotiating and drafting licences for a broadcasting industry that is constantly evolving. Part of our role in legal is making sure that we understand those changes so we can support the Licensing team’s work to ensure our licences are robust and maintain value. 

What’s the most rewarding thing about your job?

Being a lawyer involves a great deal of problem solving, which is what primarily attracted me to a career in the legal industry. I have an innate curiosity, and always seek to find solutions – so this kind of work is immensely rewarding for me.  

I also really appreciate the positive impact of PPL to our members and that we can support a creative industry that I take so much enjoyment from as a music fan.  

I consider myself fortunate to be employed in a role that is both engaging and has a tangible benefit to something I care very much about.   

On the subject of company culture, you’re Co-Chair of PPL’s Diversity Forum. Please tell us more about the Forum’s aims and achievements.

PPL’s Diversity Forum came into being in 2020 as a response to the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in the US and the music industry shut down on Blackout Tuesday. 

The Forum meets on a routine basis throughout the year with the remit of sharing views and ideas to bring about positive change in respect of equality, diversity and inclusion across the business. The meetings also provide a safe space where employees can raise issues that are important to them in a supportive and confidential environment.  

As one of the co-chairs of the Diversity Forum, I’ve certainly learned a lot from the experiences and insights that my colleagues have shared via the Forum over the past four years. It is through conversations like this that the importance of representation within the organisation has been a key focus for the Forum. As a result, the organisation celebrates events like Pride and Black History Month each year, and has introduced interview panels to reflect the range of genders and ethnicities within the organisation and those coming here to be interviewed. It is through initiatives such as these that I think the Diversity Forum has really shown the value it can bring to PPL.

You’re also a mental health first aider. What does that involve?

We receive training to identify how various mental health issues manifest and how we can help people access the right help. The emphasis is on letting people talk, listening, and guiding them to speak to the right professionals. Being able to speak to someone at work who isn’t immediately connected to your role can make all the difference if you are facing challenges with your mental health. 

We also want to remove the stigma that is sometimes attached to ‘not coping’ and normalise the conversation around mental health. Everybody has the right to not be ok and to receive the support they need when that is the case. In a previous role, I went through some challenges with my mental health and was made aware of the value of feeling supported at times like that. In being a mental health first aider at PPL, I want to play my part in ensuring that my colleagues have somewhere to turn if ever they need similar support.   

That leads nicely to our last question – what’s a track that always makes you smile, and why?

I grew up in Merseyside and The Beatles were of course everywhere – but I’ll never tire of hearing Hey Jude (or pretty much any other song by them in truth). A little-known fact about the song is that you can hear Paul McCartney (or so he claims, but it sounds more like Lennon to me) swearing mid-way through, which was caught on the mic when feedback was played through his headphones. Once you know it’s there, you can’t miss it.  

And finally, what new track should everyone have on their playlist?

I’m a huge fan of the immensely talented Laura Marling and have been enjoying her new album, Patterns in Repeat. I would encourage everyone to listen to ‘Patterns’ from that album – it’s the auditory equivalent of sitting in the warm sun without a care in the world.