Phil Riley
Encyclopedia
Phil Riley was Chief Executive of Chrysalis Radio
from June 1999 to July 2007, having played a major role in establishing Chrysalis Radio as one of the leading new entrants in the UK radio industry. Phil resigned his post after leading the successful sale of Chrysalis Radio to private company Global Radio
in July 2007. He is a Fellow of The Radio Academy
and now owns Orion Media
in the West Midlands
.
's BRMB
as a graduate trainee. In 1990, he was appointed Managing Director of 96.3 Radio Aire
in Leeds
where he was responsible for the launch and success of Magic 828
, the original Magic station. He left in 1994 to join the newly-formed Chrysalis Radio as Managing Director of its first station, Heart 100.7 in Birmingham - a role he reprised the following year for sister-station Heart 106.2
in London.
Phil was active in the development of digital radio, sitting on the board of the Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB), as well as chairing multiplex consortium MXR
(in which Chrysalis was the lead shareholder). On a wider industry level, Phil held main board memberships of The Radio Centre (formerly the CRCA and RAB) for over ten years. He also sat on the Rajar
Board. Phil has an MBA (specialising in Marketing) from Columbia Business School
.
He advised media company boards on strategy matters, and at the end of 2007 was named Executive Chairman of a bid for EMAP Radio
, backed by Private Equity group Vitruvian Partners.
In May 2009, Riley purchased BRMB
, Mercia
, Wyvern
, Beacon
in the West Midlands and Gem 106 in the East Midlands from Global Radio
for a sale price worth £37.5 million.
Chrysalis Group
Chrysalis Group is a UK media company. It was founded by Chris Wright, who remains chairman and was listed the 1,000th richest person in the UK in The Times Rich List 2009...
from June 1999 to July 2007, having played a major role in establishing Chrysalis Radio as one of the leading new entrants in the UK radio industry. Phil resigned his post after leading the successful sale of Chrysalis Radio to private company Global Radio
Global Radio
Global Radio UK Ltd. is a British commercial radio company, the largest in the country following acquisitions of Chrysalis Radio and GCap Media.The company's Chief Executive Officer is Stephen Miron, while the Group Chairman is Charles Allen...
in July 2007. He is a Fellow of The Radio Academy
Radio Academy
The Radio Academy is a registered charity that is dedicated to 'the encouragement, recognition and promotion of excellence in UK broadcasting and audio production'....
and now owns Orion Media
Orion Media
Orion Media is a UK commercial radio group run by radio veteran Phil Riley and backed by Lloyds TSB Development Capital. It was created from the enforced sale of several radio stations in the English Midlands owned and operated by Global Radio.-History:...
in the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
.
Career
Riley's radio career started in 1980, when he joined BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
's BRMB
Brmb
brmb is a local radio station based in Birmingham, UK, owned and operated by Orion Media. The station broadcasts on 96.4 FM, DAB Digital Radio in the West Midlands and online...
as a graduate trainee. In 1990, he was appointed Managing Director of 96.3 Radio Aire
96.3 Radio Aire
96.3 Radio Aire is the main Independent Local Radio station for Leeds and West Yorkshire. It is the sister station of Magic 828. The station is owned & operated by Bauer Radio and forms part of Bauer's Place Network of stations.-History:...
in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
where he was responsible for the launch and success of Magic 828
Magic 828
Magic 828 is the AM sister service of Radio Aire and broadcasts to West Yorkshire on 828 kHz.-History:Magic 828 began when Radio Aire split its AM & FM frequencies to form two different stations...
, the original Magic station. He left in 1994 to join the newly-formed Chrysalis Radio as Managing Director of its first station, Heart 100.7 in Birmingham - a role he reprised the following year for sister-station Heart 106.2
Heart 106.2
Heart 106.2 is an Independent Local Radio station based in London and is owned by Global Radio as part of the Heart Network.On 25 June 2007 it was announced that Heart along with its sister stations The Arrow, Sky News Radio, LBC and Galaxy were to be sold for £170 million to Global Radio from...
in London.
Phil was active in the development of digital radio, sitting on the board of the Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB), as well as chairing multiplex consortium MXR
MXR
MXR, also known as MXR Innovations, was a manufacturer of guitar effects units, co-founded in 1973 by Keith Barr and Terry Sherwood . MXR was based in the United States in Rochester, New York. MXR Innovations, Inc. was incorporated in 1974...
(in which Chrysalis was the lead shareholder). On a wider industry level, Phil held main board memberships of The Radio Centre (formerly the CRCA and RAB) for over ten years. He also sat on the Rajar
RAJAR
RAJAR was established in 1992 to operate a single audience measurement system for the radio industry in the United Kingdom. RAJAR is jointly owned by the British Broadcasting Corporation and the RadioCentre...
Board. Phil has an MBA (specialising in Marketing) from Columbia Business School
Columbia Business School
Columbia Business School is the business school of Columbia University in Manhattan, New York City. It was established in 1916 to provide business training and professional preparation for undergraduate and graduate Columbia University students...
.
He advised media company boards on strategy matters, and at the end of 2007 was named Executive Chairman of a bid for EMAP Radio
EMAP Radio
Bauer Radio is a UK-based division of Bauer Media Group.The Bauer network is divisible into two main groups, the Bauer Place and Bauer Passion units, with Place consisting of locally-focused services primarily broadcast on FM/AM and local digital platforms, and Passion consisting of national and...
, backed by Private Equity group Vitruvian Partners.
In May 2009, Riley purchased BRMB
Brmb
brmb is a local radio station based in Birmingham, UK, owned and operated by Orion Media. The station broadcasts on 96.4 FM, DAB Digital Radio in the West Midlands and online...
, Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
, Wyvern
Wyvern
A wyvern or wivern is a legendary winged reptilian creature with a dragon's head, two legs , and a barbed tail. The wyvern is found in heraldry. There exists a purely sea-dwelling variant, termed the Sea-Wyvern which has a fish tail in place of a barbed dragon's tail...
, Beacon
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
in the West Midlands and Gem 106 in the East Midlands from Global Radio
Global Radio
Global Radio UK Ltd. is a British commercial radio company, the largest in the country following acquisitions of Chrysalis Radio and GCap Media.The company's Chief Executive Officer is Stephen Miron, while the Group Chairman is Charles Allen...
for a sale price worth £37.5 million.