About David Wood
I am an award-winning musician and businessman who has had a long and fruitful career, spending my entire working life in the areas of music, media, entertainment, technology, intellectual property, manufacturing, retail, discovery and creation. Through over forty years of experience and a lifetime of study, I have accumulated an in-depth tacit and explicit knowledge of the industries I operate in.
Current Business Activities
I have a multipotentialite entrepreneurial approach to business and focus on four activities.
[1] Y1 Investments
davidwood.biz/investments
– In brief: I operate a private investment arm and own a stake in 313 enterprises around the world.
– Overveiw: From multinational conglomerates to small ventures, I own a stake in enterprises that vary in terms of industry, sector, length of time in business, market cap, employee count, turnover size, geographical location, dividend return, and risk. My portfolio are businesses involved in: music, entertainment, media, broadcasting, gaming, hospitality, fashion, cosmetics, sport, beverages, pharma, technology, retail, medical, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, automotive, industry, manufacturing, mining, banking, investment, property, insurance, private equity, telecoms, shipping, delivery, energy and food.
[2] DWIP
davidwood.biz/intellectual-property
– In brief: I operate a private intellectual property portfolio of 12 UK trademarks in the Intellectual Property Office Class 15 for musical instruments.
– Overview: My portfolio of intellectual property includes: Charles Howes & Son (upright pianos and stools made in China), Mendieta (classical and flamenco guitars handmade in Spain), Beverley (drums and percussion made in Taiwan and mallets made in England), Levin (guitars mandolins, banjo and ukuleles made in China, and straps handmade in England), Arena (microphones and cables made in China and stands made in Poland), Paris Woodwind (instruments made in Taiwan and China), Collard & Collard (handmade piano stools in England and upright pianos made in China), ResoVille (resonator guitars handmade in China), Shindo (stringed instrument bows handmade in China), Glenlaw (custom cables made in Scotland), Briggs (handmade violins in China), and Moretti (accordion project in China. At R&D stage).
[3] Faith & Hope Records Limited
davidwood.biz/faith-and-hope-records
– In brief: I am the co-founder, co-Managing Director and thirty-percent shareholder of the UK based record label, publisher and music synchronisation business Faith & Hope that was established in 1997.
– Overview: As well as having a string of UK charts hits – including the 2008 UK number 1 ‘Singin in the rain’ – I have released music featuring World-class artistes (Mint Royale, Duffy, Lauren Laverne, POS from De La Soul, Prince Buster, Stone Roses, George Michael, etc); had music on major hollywood films (The Inbetweeners, Vanilla Sky, Serendipity, Get Carter 2000 remake, Van Wilder: Party Liaison, etc); had music on the adverts of world leading brands (Volkswagen, Adidas, Hugo Boss, Kellogg’s, etc) had music on TV programmes globally (The Inbetweeners title music, Chuck, Grey’s Anatomy, Malcolm In The Middle, etc); had tracks on some of the biggest compilation albums of their time (NOW 70 and Now 42: That’s What I Call Music!, Ministry of Sound Annual, Dance Nation Anthems, The Annual Ibiza, 21st Century Disco, Big Beach Boutique II, etc); had artistes play some of the biggest festivals (Glastonbury, T in the Park, Wakestock, V Festival, Leeds & Reading, Creamfields, etc); entered major international licensing deals (Universal, EMI, BMG, Parlophone, JVC Victor Japan, MCA Records USA, etc) and had a joint venture with Sony.
[4] Promenade Music Limited
davidwood.biz/promenade-music-shop
– In brief: I am the founder, CEO and sole-shareholder of the successful award winning diversified music business, Promenade Music, which I established in 1989.
– Overview: Amongst its assets, Promenade Music owns “one of the largest and best stocked music shops in the North of England” and we have tens-of-thousands of customers – student, leisure, corporate, education, professional – and have supplied products to the likes of Alex James [Blur], Slash [Guns N’ Roses], Joe Bonamassa, Sam Fender and Stuart Zender [Jamiroquai] to name but a few. I have main dealership agreements – representing over 200 brands – with the who’s who of the global musical instrument and equipment industry (Yamaha, Roland, Kawai, Korg, Fender, Martin, Gibson, Marshall, Bose, etc) and operate twelve business cells, which include: sale activities in the retail, education and worship sectors; and a host of music industry services (hire, imports, piano restorations, music lessons, recording, etc). I am also the sole ‘UK home’ for several international manufacturers (Content Organs, Marleaux Basses, Northwood Guitars, GFI Pedal Steel Guitars, Krivo Pickups, Mullen Pedal Steel Guitars, Maestro Guitars, Goodrich) and my DWIP potfolio of trademarks are all sold at Promenade Music.
Accolades
– In February 2022, I was delighted to accept an invitation to be awarded a Doctor of Music (DMus) honoris causa honorary degree from Lancaster University [which will be awarded in July 2023] for my “outstanding contributions to music industry entrepreneurship and business engagement”. I am only the eleventh person to have received the award – since the formation of Lancaster University in 1964 – and feel incredibly honoured to be joining such esteemed previous recipients who include musicians: Sir Arthur Bliss, Witold Lutoslawski, Sir Michael Tippett, Dame Janet Baker, Sir John Manduell, Sir Edward Downes, Sir Simon Towneley, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Professor Edward Gregson and music patron Princess Alexandra.
– Received a HonsFDip Honorary Fellowship in Music from the Independent Contemporary Music Awards.
– Received a FRSA Fellowship from the Royal Society of Arts.
– Was the recipient of a Musical Director Award after winning a NODA musical director of the year award.
– Won a business of the year category at the Business Link North Lancashire Business Awards for Promenade Music.
– Appeared in an edition of the who’s who of Britain’s business elite.
Love of Continuing Education
– Currently studying a New York Institute of Finance suite of subjects that relate to stock trading.
– Gained a University of Cambridge undergraduate certificate in ‘operational business and management’.
– Gained an ICMA DipMusTh diploma in music theory.
– Gained a London College of Music AMusLCM diploma of associate in music [harmony, counterpoint, musical form and history of music].
– Attended a Guildhall School of Music & Drama short course in executive coaching and mentoring.
– Attended a University of Oxford management and business skills programme in relation to technology, commercialisation and psychology.
– Attended a Lancaster Adult College general law course.
– Attended a Manchester SSR sound recording course.
– Attended a Huddersfield Technical College – School of Music – music course.
– I have a love of autodidact study which has included: music, retail, law, business, finance, and investment strategies.
Core Skills Through Experience
As well as management, operations, commerce, and corporate governance skills; I have a working understanding of sales, negotiation, retailing, e-tailing, marketing, manufacturing, international trade, distribution, logistics, intellectual property management, digital rights management, contract law, financial management, strategic planning, and organisational behaviour.
Current Community Activity
– Incumbent leader in residence at the University of Central Lancashire’s Award-winning ‘Faculty of Culture and the Creative Industries’.
– Member of the US based National Association of Music Merchants (aka NAMM).
– Member of the Lancaster & District Chamber of Commerce.
– Host at charity events for Box4Kids [part of the Barrie Wells Trust].
– Speak at higher educational institutions.
– Music conference panellist.
– Music industry commentator for respected media outlets and broadcasters.
– Competition adjudicator for music competitions.
– I deputise as guest organist at the Winter Gardens theatre in Morecambe.
Past Activities
– Past member of the UK based Music Industries Association (aka MIA).
– Past member of the UK based Institute of Directors (aka IoD).
– Past member of a local advisory council for the BBC.
– Advisory roles with the managing directors of private and publicly traded companies, the chief-executive officer of a company that floated, and the chairman of a bank.
– Advisory role with a small team on design patent law in technology, on the potential commercialisation of former soviet state All-union radio official network intellectual property recorded under Gosteleradio.
– Had a five-year involvement in the mobile entertainment company Monstermob where we celebrated £19 million first year sales, and a 2003 £32+ million market cap floatation on the AIM market of the LSE.
– Held an advisory role on the music, media, entertainment and materials intellectual property interests [copyrights, trademarks, design rights, and patents] with the Safra organizations client’s companies based in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Russia, Monaco, and offshore.
– Was a Non-executive director of the UK based music and education charity ‘More Music’ between 2010 and 2014. Before I joined the board, the financial position of More Music had worsened after the financial crash of 2008. During my tenure, the board achieved a range of achievements including: national portfolio organisation funding (awarded by arts council, England) for 2015 to 2018. From when I joined the board in 2010, to when I left in 2014, the balance sheet ‘total funds’ moved from a £18,189 deficit to a £108,227 positive. I left the organisation in a safer financial place and more music is now one of the longest running, and most highly regarded community music and education organisations in the UK.
– Was a self-employed child musician; then a professional musician, musical director and bandleader [1978 to 1996].
– Was the founder and owner of the jingle and recording business, St Aubyns Sound Recordings [1986 to 1988].
– Owned the Yamaha Music School Morecambe [1987 to 1997].
– Owned the custom made aluminium flight case business Flightplan [1994 to 1998].
– Co-founded Faith & Hype, the Press & PR arm of Faith & Hope Records Limited [1998 to 2002].
– Co-founded Art & Science, the club night arm of Faith & Hope Records Limited [1999 to 2002].
Mentors
Had several life-changing mentors, including:
– The late Major Peter Parkes – one of the World’s most successful award-winning brass conductors.
– The late Edmond J Safra – one of the most accomplished bankers in history; and the founder of Safra Republic Holdings SA, Republic New York Corporation, Republic National Bank of New York, and Trade Development Bank.
– The late Sir Denis Forman OBE – a former Chairman of Granada Television, and Deputy Chair of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden.
– Keith J Harris – the former and founding General Manager of Promenade Music.
– Doug D’Arcy – the former President of Chrysalis Records International, Director of Chrysalis Group Limited, Founder of Dedicated Records, and shareholder in Faith & Hope Records.
– The late Anthony H Wilson – a former Broadcaster, the co-founder of Manchester’s Factory Records, and The Hacienda nightclub.
Other Details of Possible Relevance
– Not a member of a political party.
– Not a member of a political organisation.
– Not a local, regional or national government representative.
– Don’t have any criminal convictions (either spent or unspent).
– Have not been a bankrupt (either discharged or undischarged).
– IHave not been disqualified from being a director of any company (by either court order or voluntary undertaking).
– Hold a W-8BEN Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting with the IRS, the US Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service.
– Have Financial Conduct Authority approval for CF8 apportionment and oversight-controlled function responsibility and [through Promenade Music] I am the principal for both the FCA’s regulatory processes system Connect and their regulatory reporting system Gabriel.
Contact Details
– David Wood
– Full name: Mr David Harry Wood
– Post-nominal letters: DMus HonsFDip FRSA DipMusTh AMusLCM
– Known at Lancaster University as: Dr David Wood
– Correspondence address: St Aubyns, 404 Marine Road East, Morecambe, LA4 5AR, England, UK
– Telehone number at Promenade Music: 01524 410202 ext 208 (If outside UK: 0044 1524 410202)
– Telehone number at Faith & Hope Records: 01524 401144 ext 208 (If outside UK: 0044 1524 410202)
– Email for private [Y1 Investments and DWIP] correspondence: dw@davidwood.biz
– Email for Promenade Music correspondence: david@promenademusic.co.uk
– Email at Faith & Hope Records correspondence: david@faithandhope.co.uk
– Personal Website: davidwood.biz