Deborah Dugan to Replace Neil Portnow as Recording Academy Chief
Last year, Neil Portnow announced that he would step down from his position as Recording Academy President—a title he’s held since 2002—when his contract expired. That time has come, and his successor has been announced; Deborah Dugan, CEO of the nonprofit AIDS organization (RED), has been selected to replace Portnow as the Recording Academy president/CEO, Billboard reports.
When Portnow announced in 2018 that he would step down the following year, he told Billboard, “The evolution of industries, institutions and organizations is ultimately the key to their relevance, longevity and success.” Portnow added, “I’ll be working with our Board to put the various elements in place that will ensure transparency, best practices, and the Academy’s ability to find the very best, brightest, and qualified leadership to take us into our seventh decade of operation.”
In 2018, Vanessa Carlton initiated a petition calling on Portnow to resign after he said that women should “step up” if they want to be successful in the music industry at that year’s Grammy Awards. After Portnow’s controversial comment, he apologized, saying his remarks “do not convey my beliefs and the point I was trying to make.” The Grammys then announced an independent task force, led by Time’s Up co-founder Tina Tchen, to address biases against women in the music industry.
Read “Grammys Boss Neil Portnow on Race, Boycotts, and Working with Washington” on the Pitch.
