Bullish Grainge reshapes Universal.

Lucian Grainge has unveiled his blueprint to extend Universal's dominant position within the UK record business with a comprehensive shake-up across the major's operations.

The restructure, which is effective from this Friday, involves new managing director teams at Polydor and Mercury, the creation of a new centralised dance unit, an overhaul of the company's commercial and consumer and media divisions and a revamp of Universal Classics (see classical, p8).

Meanwhile, Grainge -- whose group scored a year-end albums market share twice that of its nearest rival for 2001 -- has also struck a label deal with former Capital Radio director of programmes Richard Park.

"Last year I said I was going to make the numbers and have a record Christmas and also that I was going to `fix it'. This is it," says Grainge.

Mercury managing director Howard Berman -- who was originally recruited to run A&M by Jerry Moss in 1990 -- and general manager Jonathan Green both left Universal last Friday. They will be replaced by former Polydor Associated Labels general manager Greg Castell and U2 producer Steve Lillywhite, who assume the roles of joint managing directors.

Berman says, "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Mercury and prior to that at A&M. I'm leaving a fantastic team of people who, with some very exciting new signings to work with will, I'm sure, see UK successes in 2002 to emulate the excellent achievements last year with US repertoire."

Mercury is also being bolstered by the formation of a centralised dance unit incorporating AM:PM, Serious and Manifesto. Based at the label's Kings Road office in London, it will be headed by Serious managing director Simon Belofsky, to whom AM:PM's Dave Lambert and Manifesto's Luke Neville will report. With the company's other labels now restricted from signing dance acts and Wonderboy -- the label through Universal TV -- recently terminated, the move is designed to ...