Biography
Randy Lennox, O.C., is a Canadian media and music executive. He is the first-ever major music label exec to be named an Officer of the Order Canada.
As President of Bell Media, Canada's leading broadcasting, streaming, and content creation company, Randy Lennox is responsible for all of the company's businesses including TV, radio, digital, and out-of-home, as well as new ventures and partnerships. Lennox joined Bell Media in August 2015 as President, Production and Broadcasting. In February, 2017, he was elevated to the position of President of Bell Media and joined the BCE executive team.
Under Lennox's leadership, Bell Media has announced several strategic partnerships, including purchasing a majority stake in Pinewood Toronto Studios and becoming part of the ownership group of comedy enterprise Just For Laughs, the international producer of tours, festivals, and television specials. Other initiatives under the leadership of Lennox include a partnership between Bell Media's BNN and Bloomberg Media; an exclusive alliance with Lionsgate to bring Starz to Canada; an international distribution arrangement with Sony Pictures Television for Bell Media's original music format The Launch; the SnackableTV short-form video app, Canada's home for Kevin Hart's Laugh Out Loud comedy network; and a joint venture to produce the international smash hit Bat Out of Hell The Musical. In addition, Lennox recently led the relaunch of the all-new Crave streaming service, home to current HBO and Showtime® series and specials, Hollywood hit movies, programming from VICE and WOW! Unlimited Media, acclaimed television series, original programming, and more.
He was appointed President and CEO of Universal Music Canada, the country's leading Music Company following the merger of Universal Music Canada and PolyGram Canada Inc. in 1998. In that position, he successfully guided the company through the largest merger in the history of the music business. Under Randy's stewardship, Universal Music Canada has been voted Music Company of the Year for fifteen consecutive years. Lennox began his career with Universal Music in 1980 in the company's mail-room. He was promoted to Executive VP/General Manager of the organization at the age of 36 and in December 2001, The Toronto Star included Randy in their "Ones to Watch" feature article. In February 2002, MacLean's Magazine also featured Randy as one of the country's "50 Most Influential Canadians".
Mr. Lennox's support and development of Canadian talent is evidenced by success with Platinum artists Hedley, The Weeknd, Sam Roberts, The Tragically Hip, Paul Anka, Nikki Yanofsky and The Tenors. His commitment to breaking acts in Canada has resulted in #1 world territory status for Canadian artists such as Drake, Sarah McLaughlin, Shawn Mendes, Diana Krall, Nelly Furtado, Shania Twain, Bryan Adams and Justin Bieber.
As Chairman of the 25th Annual Juno Awards Committee, Mr. Lennox spearheaded the creation of Oh, What a Feeling, a compilation of songs from past Juno Award winners, which sold Diamond (1 million units) and raised $5.3 million dollars for several Canadian charities. He created a joint venture project (along with EMI Music and Warner Music) to produce the #1 selling pop hit compilations Big Shiny Tunes and NOW, which reached sales of more than 8 million albums sold.
Mr. Lennox is the Talent Chair of Canada's Walk of Fame and its Executive Producer, the Chair of Massey & Roy Thompson Halls' Talent Committees while sitting on the board of Maple Music.
Randy Lennox sits on numerous Boards, including CARAS (Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences), Music Canada - the music industry's governing body and The Smilezone Foundation, an organization that creates, builds and transforms areas in hospitals in order to improve the lives of children and their families facing illness. In January 2019, Lennox was elected Chair of the Board of Directors for The Banff World Media Festival. He also sits on the board of Pinewood Toronto Studios.
In February 2010, Randy, along with legendary music producer Bob Ezrin, spearheaded the Juno Award winning Young Artists for Haiti campaign that has raised more than two million dollars in relief for the people of Haiti. More than 50 Canadian artists gathered at Bryan Adams' Warehouse Studios in Vancouver, to record a rendition of K'NAAN's hit single, Wavin' Flag that brought the country together during the Vancouver winter Olympics. Earlier that year, Randy executive produced 'I Believe', the theme song for the games, which song by Universal artist Nikki Yanofsky and Stephan Moccio and used extensively throughout CTV's broadcast of the winter games.
He actively contributes to the organization of the annual Canadian Music Week Conference, and offers ongoing support to a variety of charitable organizations including the Starlight Children's Foundation of Canada while Co-Chairing the Princess Margaret Breast Cancer Foundation's 'Walk to End Cancer' which raised in excess of 8 million dollars.
Mr. Lennox also sits on the Board for CARAS' MusiCounts, an ongoing charity which has provided 4 million dollars' worth of musical instruments to underfunded schools across Canada.
In March of 2010, Randy Lennox was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry's Hall of Fame.
In 2013, Randy once again integrated a legendary music company into Universal when EMI and Virgin Music were acquired and the largest market share in the industry's history was created.
