Jody Gerson is taking a seat on the board of Ancestry.com, the world\u2019s largest for-profit genealogy company.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s on top of her responsibilities as CEO and Chair of Universal Music Publishing Group<\/strong>, a role she has held since early 2015, when she left Sony\/ATV<\/strong> to become the first female CEO of a globa major music company<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m honored to join Ancestry\u2019s board at a time when the connection between storytelling and identity is more meaningful than ever,\u201d Gerson said in a statement on Wednesday (June 25).<\/p>\n \u201cAs someone who has dedicated my career to helping artists tell their stories through song, I deeply value Ancestry\u2019s commitment to empowering individuals to discover and share their own. By connecting families and bridging generations through personal history, Ancestry is making a profound cultural and personal impact \u2013 and I look forward to contributing to that mission.\u201d<\/p>\n David Kestnbaum<\/strong>, a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone<\/strong>, which owns a 75%<\/strong> stake in Ancestry, called Gerson \u201can industry trailblazer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe look forward to her highly valuable perspectives and contributions as the company continues to help more people connect with their family histories,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t Gerson\u2019s only board seat outside UMPG. She also sits on the board of the National Music Publishers Association<\/strong> and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame<\/strong>, as well as on the boards of a number of organizations representing social causes, such as the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative<\/strong>, Project Healthy Minds<\/strong>, and the New Roads School<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Her leadership within and beyond music has been recognized through a number of awards, most recently the 2025 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons<\/strong><\/a> prize, and the ICMP Ralph Peer II Award<\/strong><\/a> for Outstanding Contribution to Global Music Publishing.<\/p>\n \u201cJody Gerson is a visionary leader whose transformative impact on the music industry is matched only by her unwavering commitment to creativity, inclusion, and innovation,\u201d said Ancestry board chair Mark Thompson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cHer deep understanding of storytelling and culture makes her an invaluable addition to Ancestry\u2019s board as we continue to help people discover, preserve, and share their unique family stories.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m honored to join Ancestry\u2019s board at a time when the connection between storytelling and identity is more meaningful than ever.”<\/p>\n Jody Gerson, UMPG<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Ancestry LLC was founded in 1983, producing genealogical data in print form through magazines and reference books. It launched its online service in 1996, and in 2020 it was acquired by Blackstone in a $4.7-billion<\/strong> deal<\/a> that also saw Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Private Limited<\/strong> retain a 25%<\/strong> stake in the company.<\/p>\n Ancestry says it has 3 million<\/strong> subscribers, 27 million<\/strong> people in its DNA network, and a collection of 65 billion<\/strong> records. It has around $1 billion<\/strong> in annual revenue.<\/p>\n The issue of genealogy databases has been in the news of late, following the bankruptcy of Ancestry rival 23AndMe<\/strong> earlier this year. The news<\/a> that biotech firm Regeneron Pharmaceuticals<\/strong> would be buying 23AndMe triggered privacy concerns about the company\u2019s DNA database.<\/p>\n