PPL is sad to note the passing of former non-executive director Glen Barnham on 11 September 2023, at the age of 78. Barnham was a non-executive director of PPL from July 2006 to January 2011, representing performers.
Barnham was a senior official at Equity, the trade union acting on behalf of performers and creative practitioners. He first became involved with PPL in 2001 as a member of the informal ‘Performer Forum’, set up by former PPL Chair and CEO Fran Nevrkla, at the start of the journey to bring record companies and performers together within PPL. Over the next five years Barnham became a key player in the work and negotiations that eventually led to the merger of performer CMOs PAMRA and AURA with PPL in 2006.
Barnham also supported the set-up of PPL’s International Collection service for performers – one of the benefits of the merger. He was involved with many of the initial overseas visits to CMOs when PPL was commencing its – now world-leading – international neighbouring rights collection service.
Following his retirement from Equity and the PPL directorship, Barnham continued to support PPL’s work, staying in touch with many people across the music industry. He also put his considerable skills to good use working with several charities and other good causes.
John Smith, Chair PPL said: “I have known and worked with Glen for over 30 years. We first got to collaborate in the mid-90s when he was the Equity official with responsibility for the BBC Singers, and I was looking after the BBC Orchestras for the MU. Our close working continued when Fran Nevrkla asked us to join the Performer Forum, which became much more than a ‘talking shop’ and initiated an intense, concerted focus on maximising the income for performers. It resulted in the performers coming into PPL and Glen was delighted with this success – and very proud to become a PPL board member. I shall miss him immensely; he was a dear friend, fantastic company, and a very entertaining raconteur. RIP Glen.”
Peter Leathem, CEO PPL, said: “Glen was one of the key players who enabled the merger of PAMRA and AURA with PPL. That move has proved to be such a success for performers, with PPL now paying over 150,000 performers each year and collecting tens of millions of pounds of international royalties, which were just not being collected 20 years ago. Glen was pragmatic, reliable, collaborative, a deal maker and a real gentleman with a good sense of humour. He was a good friend to me and so many others, and we continued to catch up at his favourite real ale bar at Questor’s Theatre in Ealing right up until this summer.”
Laurence Oxenbury, PPL Director of International, said: “Glen was a good friend, colleague and mentor to me for over 25 years. He was a skilled collaborator and active supporter of progressive ideals. Amongst his many loves were the BBC, Equity, PPL and real ale – I will miss hearing him talk so eloquently about each greatly.”
