Rob Dickins

Rob Dickins, CBE (born July 1950, East Ham, London) was a key member of the music industry, and currently holds a number of trustee and consultant positions in music and the arts in the United Kingdom. Dickins established himself at an early age at Warner Music UK. He is married to Cherry Gillespie of Pan's People and Octopussy fame.

Dickins grew up in East Ham and in the surrounding suburbs. He attended Ilford County High School for Boys. He took undergraduate studies at Loughborough University and graduated with an honours degree in Politics, Sociology, and Russian. Whilst at University was chairman of the Folk Club, the Film Society, and the Entertainments Committee. He served as Social Secretary of the Students Union, and moved the Union finances from loss to profit during his time there.

Following graduation in 1971, Dickins joined Warner Bros Music Publishing and was appointed Managing Director in 1974. During his time there he moved the company from a ranking of eleventh to first, a position it held throughout his tenure. Dickins was appointed International Vice President of the company in 1979. He signed Prince, Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards (Chic), Neil Young, Joni Mitchell amongst others to the UK company and signings for the World included Vangelis, Sex Pistols, Whitesnake and Madness.

In 1983, Dickins became the Chairman of Warner Music UK (a division of Warner Music Group), remained in that role until December 1998. During his term there, he turned the company into one of the most profitable in the UK.

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