HMV has restructured its leadership team, promoting David Athey to the newly created role of Commercial Director and expanding Kate Longbottom’s marketing responsibilities. The changes follow the departure of Patrizia Leighton, who is leaving after 12 years as Marketing and Commercial Director.
David Athey appointed Commercial Director
David Athey, a long-serving member of HMV, has been with the company for 35 years, starting as a sales assistant before progressing through senior roles within the Film & TV division. Most recently, he served as Head of Music & Technology.
In his new role as Commercial Director, Athey will oversee all commercial aspects of HMV’s business, including supplier relationships and the development of its European operations. He aims to build on the retailer’s strong position on the high street while ensuring its continued growth.
Phil Halliday, Managing Director at HMV, commented on the promotion: “David has been with us for over 30 years now and holds a deep understanding of the business as well as vast experience and expertise across music, film, and TV, which we will lean heavily on as we look to continue the business’s growth and expansion.”
Athey also shared his vision for HMV’s future: “We have a strong position in the market today, a more developed offer to our customers than ever before and bold plans to continue to innovate for our pop-culture fan audience. I’m looking forward to making sure that HMV remains a place where fans of music, film, and culture can congregate and find like-minded communities across our estate.”
Kate Longbottom to lead HMV’s marketing strategy
Kate Longbottom, who joined HMV in 2022, will take full responsibility for the company’s marketing strategy. Her remit covers advertising, public relations, and brand development across HMV’s store network and online business. Before joining HMV, Longbottom held marketing roles at Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, and Virgin Megastores.
She will focus on strengthening HMV’s presence in the UK and expanding into emerging markets such as Ireland and Belgium. Halliday praised her appointment, stating: “Kate has been a longstanding member of the team and will be an outstanding marketing lead. With a focus on building our brand across the UK and in our nascent markets of Ireland and Belgium, she will also put renewed focus on bringing consumers into our local stores as well as driving our ecommerce offer.”
HMV’s plans for store and online growth
As part of HMV’s growth strategy, Longbottom will oversee new initiatives to increase footfall in stores while continuing to develop the brand’s ecommerce platform. Speaking about her new role, she said: “We have plans to continue our growth, building on the legacy that Patrizia has left us across not only our store estate but also across our online proposition. In our stores, customers can look forward to more from our Live and Local programme for new artists, more appearances in stores from big names, and more community events for fans. At the same time, we will continue to invest in our ecommerce offer, which has grown consistently in recent years.”
The leadership changes come as HMV looks to strengthen its position in an evolving retail landscape, balancing its physical stores with an expanding online presence to serve music, film, and pop culture enthusiasts.
