Emmanuel de Buretel


Emmanuel de Buretel is a French music executive best known as the founder of Because Music, and his work with Virgin Records.

Career

Virgin
A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, de Buretel was appointed in 1986 CEO of Virgin Publishing France by Richard Branson and went on to sign artists such as Youssou Ndour, Cheb Khaled, Mano Negra, Les Négresses Vertes.
He was instrumental in the emergence of the hip hop genre in France with successes of IAM, Tonton David and many more.
In 1991, he created Delabel Records and signed artists such as Keziah Jones, IAM, Tonton David, les Rita Mitsouko, Rhoff, -M- and many others.
From 1992, de Buretel was at the head of Virgin Records France where he created Delabel, Source, Labels, a collection of creative independent cells under the “labels” banner which was considered to be one of the most credible independent platforms in Europe and an alternative to major companies.
He brought artists like Manu Chao, Air, and Daft Punk to international attention when he took over at the head of Virgin Continental Europe back in 1998.
During the same period, Ken Berry, former CEO of EMI Music Worldwide, let him set up his publishing company Delabel Editions.
Emmanuel de Buretel signed writers and composers including Louise Attaque, Daft Punk, Air, Doc Gyneco, Cheb Mami, Madredeus.
He also acquired the catalogs Sidonie Crescelles and Vanessa Paradis.
EMI Europe
He became President of EMI Continental Europe in London in 2001, at the head of a group of 21 subsidiaries within which he developed a catalogue of European artists such as M83, Daft Punk, Tiziano Ferro, Lene Marlin or Royksopp, and signed David Guetta under Virgin France. He was instrumental in the acquisition of the independent label Mute by EMI.
In 2002, taking inspiration from the Mercury Prize, he created the Prix Constantin which rewards young artists for having imprinted their talent on the world every year.
Because
In disagreement with the vision of EMI, he left the company in March 2004 in order to create Because Group, a new independent London and Paris based structure, involved in all aspects of the music industry. :

Awards and achievements

He was knighted as a member of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
2015 sees the launch of Because Publishing in the U.S., the nomination of Emmanuel de Buretel at the Board of Merlin, his appointment as President of SPPF, his appointment as Knight of Legion d'Honneur. After Because acquired the London Records back catalogue in summer 2017, de Buretel expected to use the label's British operations for signing urban and dance artists.