Haute 100 New York Update: Clive Davis

Our Haute 100 list details the accomplishments of the most influential people in each of our markets—Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. These people continue to make moves, so rather than waiting for the next Haute 100 issue to come out, we thought we’d provide you with regular updates on those Haute 100 members who are making headlines. We turn our attention to Clive Davis. He is the world’s biggest music producer turning out acts like Kelly Clarkson and Whitney Houston.

Clive Davis

Category: Entertainment

Company: Sony Music Entertainment Worldwide

Industry: Media

What Makes Him Haute: With such titles as former president of Columbia Records, founder and president of Arista Records, chairman and CEO of the RCA Music Group, and chairman and CEO of BMG North America, Clive Davis knows music. Currently CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Worldwide, he is credited with signing such classic greats as Donovan, Janis Joplin, Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, and the Grateful Dead. After four decades, Davis still knows what it takes to make a hit.

What Makes Him Haute Now: Aside from being perhaps the world’s most famous music executive, he still continues to crank out great artists that have mega-smash worldwide hits. Not only is he famous for discovering Whitney Houston, who he deemed “The Voice,” but he backs up artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys. After already being responsible for discovering some of the great artists of the last few decades, he still works hard to keep his reputation and his Rolodex stocked with the hottest acts in entertainment.