THE BUZZ ON
GRAMMY'S NEW BOSS

With word spreading that the Recording Academy has made it selection on a new chief, the biz is buzzing over who will step into Neil Portnow’s wingtips—though the timing of any official announcement supposedly depends on the execution of contracts. The Board of Trustees’ three finalists for the gig were well-known producers Jimmy Jam and Harvey Mason, Jr. and longtime Warner Music exec/Academy Vice Chair Ruby Marchand, though some biz watchers say an outside contender is still in it.

Heavyweight recruiter Korn Ferry has spearheaded the search, with William D. Simon running point. Having empowered Tina Tchen to handle issues of diversity and other concerns via a task force, the Academy is highly sensitive to how such questions will pertain to its choice of a new leader.

As we noted earlier, some insiders still believe that the org’s new head will likely be paired with a co-leader tasked with key logistics.

How did the Board vote? Stay tuned.