Knobloch, until recently exec VP of Film Music at 20th Century-Fox and Fox Music Inc., will be responsible for all creative and production aspects of Universal films' scores, songs and soundtracks, and will oversee the administration and licensing of the studio's publishing catalog.
He begins March 1, managing a department of 17, and will report to Langley on the film side and Finkelstein on music publishing. He succeeds Kathy Nelson, who left the studio in January. “Mike brings an enormous amount of energy and talent to this job, where he'll play an integral role in our creative process," Langley said. “He's the perfect addition to our team with exactly the kind of passion and vision we're looking for."
Knobloch, 39, told Variety he was excited about the opportunities ahead and looks forward to helping maximize music's role at the studio. “In the ever-evolving landscape of the film and music business," he said, “I hope to forge new opportunities for the studio from marketing and soundtracks to publishing and worldwide initiatives in music."
Knobloch was at Fox for nearly 14 years, overseeing the music for such films as “Avatar," “Walk the Line" and “The Devil Wears Prada," and worked on the soundtracks for “Slumdog Millionaire" and “Crazy Heart." He is also president of the Los Angeles chapter of the Recording Academy and has served on its board of governors for the past five years.
He is a co-founder of the Grammy Foundation's “Grammy Camp," a summer program that immerses high-school students in professional film-scoring and other aspects of the music industry. Prior to Fox, Knobloch worked at Tyrell Music Group and the Meyers-Shyer Company.
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