WMG Celebrates Innovation in the Midlands
March 11th, 2019 | 0 min read
In 2017, Warwick Music Group was selected as one of the Midlands' top 50 most innovative companies by Mills & Reeve alongside the likes of Jaguar Land Rover and the Football Association. As part of the launch of the 2019 competition, we attended a celebration evening at Mills & Reeve’s stunning new offices in Central Birmingham. Andy Street, Mayor of Birmingham, was on hand to learn more about our mission to make music accessible and fun for thousands of children across the region, as well as our work with Birmingham Services for Education.
Photos by Jas Sansi Photography
Steven has over twenty years of experience working in the music industry. With degrees in Electrical Engineering and an MA in European Cultural Policy & Administration from the University of Warwick, where he now serves as a Course Tutor on their MA in Creative and Media Enterprises, Steven served as Executive Director of a non-profit international music association based in the United States from 2000 – 2007.
Steven is founder and CEO of Warwick Music Group now known as pBone Music, and started playing the trombone at the age of nine. Based in North Warwickshire, the company manufactures musical instruments that make the joy of music accessible. sustainable and fun including the world's first plastic trombone, pBone, which has sold over 250,000 units worldwide and won major international awards including the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise (Innovation) in 2019.
He was elected as a board director for the UK music industry trade body, the Music Industries Association, in 2019 becoming its chair in 2020, and is frequently interviewed or invited to present guest lectures on cultural entrepreneurship, music education, and the future of the music industry. At the request of the owner, Denis Wick, Steven joined the board of Denis Wick Products in 2021 subsequently being appointed their Chief Executive Officer in 2022, a role he performs alongside his role as CEO for pBone Music.
Steven lives in Warwickshire with his wife, Kate, their three young children, two ponies and a faithful labrador, and enjoys coaching his local youth rugby team.