BPI Director of Events and Charities Awarded OBE, 1 January 2012

31 December 2011 - Margaret Liddy, a senior executive in the record industry and resident of Coulsdon, has been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s honours list for services to the music industry and charity.

Margaret, known more usually as Maggie Crowe (her maiden name) throughout the music industry, has worked for twenty-five years at the The BPI (British Phonographic Industry) where she is director of events and charities, and in charge of producing the annual BRIT Awards show.

There was a time, however, when she had a very different career in mind.   After attending The Ursuline Convent in Wimbledon she had planned to train as a cookery teacher, but what was initially only meant to be a summer job at a Croydon-based record distribution company, Windsong Record Exports, turned out to be the start of a highly successful career in the music industry.

Crowe joined The BPI, the record industry’s trade association, in 1986 as a secretary in their anti-piracy unit and moved up through various positions to become personal assistant to John Deacon, then BPI’s director general.   They worked together for ten years, during which time Deacon was instrumental in the establishment of The BRIT School in Selhurst.   From the very earliest stages this was a project close to Crowe’s heart and she has devoted considerable time and effort to the development of the school and to supporting its students.  In 2009 she joined the board of governors.  She also administrates The British Record Industry Trust, the charitable trust which supports a range of educational projects of which The BRIT School is one.

In spite of her many achievements, Liddy plays down her successes and avoids the limelight.  On being included in the New Year’s honours list, she said, “Who would believe that someone like me would be recognised in this way?  My only skill set is that I talk a lot and am great at lists.  I’m truly knocked out and speechless for once in my life!”

BPI Chief Executive Geoff Taylor congratulated Liddy on her honour, "Maggie's journey from PA to organiser of the BRITs is remarkable in itself. Her dedication, drive, and the strong relationships she has across the business are great assets to the BPI. Most of all, her commitment to helping others through the BPI's charitable work thoroughly deserves this recognition. We are immensely proud of her."

BPI Chairman Tony Wadsworth added, "Maggie has been a constant presence in and around the BRIT Awards, the BRIT Trust and the BRIT School over three decades - her quiet professionalism and dedication to our industry's charities and flagship awards show have been key to their huge success. The industry has a lot to thank her for and she is truly deserving of this honour."

ENDS

About The BPI
The BPI is the representative voice of the UK recorded music business. The BPI is a trade organisation funded by its members - which include hundreds of independent music companies and the UK’s four major record labels. The BPI’s members account for approximately 90% of all recorded music sold in the UK, and globally the UK's recorded music market is the fourth biggest.
 
The BPI also organises the annual BRIT Awards show as well as the Classical BRIT Awards show. The organising company BRIT Awards Limited, is a fully owned subsidiary of the BPI. Substantial proceeds from both shows go to the BRIT Trust, the charitable arm of the BPI that has donated almost £15m to charitable causes nationwide, since its foundation in 1989.

For further information, please contact Adam Liversage on 0780 117 9032 or adam@bpi.co.uk.