UPDATED: Veteran Interscope executive VP and head of publicity Dennis Dennehy — who over the years has played a huge role in the careers of Eminem, Lady Gaga, Beck and many others — is headed to AEG Presents in the newly created role of chief communications officer, the company announced today. He will report to chairman/CEO Jay Marciano.
In his new role he will work with AEG VP of communications Michael Roth and the company’s executives and affiliated businesses — including Coachella producer Goldenvoice and its CEO Paul Tollett, president of global touring Gary Gersh (Dennehy’s former colleague at Geffen Records) and others — to heighten its profile and tell its stories. According to the announcement, he will also work closely with AEG Presents’ artists and management partners as needed to develop comprehensive media strategies that align with their overall vision, as well as support AEG Presents’ globally renowned brands, business units and concert tours, including the organization’s 16 regional offices.
AEG Presents is the world’s second-largest live-entertainment company and operates such iconic venues as the Staples Center in Los Angeles and the O2 Arena in London.
He will continue to represent Eminem, independently of his new role with AEG.
“The significant growth and expansion of AEG Presents these past few years has created the need for this new function for our company and Dennis possesses the exact qualifications and experiences to fill this important role,” said Marciano. “I have known Dennis for decades and there is no person more suited to step into this position and nobody more qualified to help deliver the type of advice and overall plans for our artists as we look to meet the rapidly changing needs of our global brands and audiences.”
“I’m thrilled to join Jay and the team at AEG Presents, and I can’t wait to be a part of all the exciting things that are happening at the company,” said Dennehy. “After almost 30 years of working on the recorded music side of the business, I’m really looking forward to taking on a new role at one of the most dynamic and forward-thinking companies in music today.”
Dennehy had been with Interscope Records for some 20 years and with Universal Music Group for 27: Prior to joining Interscope, he was with Geffen and DGC Records during the second half of the label’s glory years, working with Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Beck, Rob Zombie and others. He has long been one of the most experienced and effective major-label publicists in the business, while also keeping a relatively low profile — if Eminem is on a red carpet, Dennehy is usually several steps away, within earshot but out of camera range. He began his career in 1991 at the New York office of the German-based heavy metal label Noise Records.