The Recording Academy has named Harvey Mason Jr. its new president/CEO after the producer served in the role on an interim basis for the past 16 months, as reported by billboard.com. He is best known as a producer and songwriter who has collaborated with such artists as Aretha Franklin, Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey.

“I am honored to have been appointed to continue to lead the Recording Academy on our transformative journey. While I had not initially expected to be in this position, I remain deeply invested in the success of the organization and am motivated to help us achieve our greatest ambitions. I will serve humbly with a steadfast commitment to building a more inclusive, responsive and relevant Academy,” Mason stated.

The academy terminated former president/CEO, Deborah Dugan, on March 2, 2020, after she had been placed on administrative leave six weeks earlier. She and the Recording Academy are in arbitration over her dismissal. Mason had been a leading contender for the role during the 2019 job search when Dugan, who only served five months, was selected. Dugan took over for longtime president/CEO Neil Portnow, who stepped down under pressure.