Jody Gerson is taking a seat on the board of Ancestry.com, the world’s largest for-profit genealogy company.
That’s on top of her responsibilities as CEO and Chair of Universal Music Publishing Group, a role she has held since early 2015, when she left Sony/ATV to become the first female CEO of a globa major music company.
“I’m honored to join Ancestry’s board at a time when the connection between storytelling and identity is more meaningful than ever,” Gerson said in a statement on Wednesday (June 25).
“As someone who has dedicated my career to helping artists tell their stories through song, I deeply value Ancestry’s 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 – and I look forward to contributing to that mission.”
David Kestnbaum, a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, which owns a 75% stake in Ancestry, called Gerson “an industry trailblazer.”
“We look forward to her highly valuable perspectives and contributions as the company continues to help more people connect with their family histories,” he said.
This isn’t Gerson’s only board seat outside UMPG. She also sits on the board of the National Music Publishers Association and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as well as on the boards of a number of organizations representing social causes, such as the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, Project Healthy Minds, and the New Roads School.
Her leadership within and beyond music has been recognized through a number of awards, most recently the 2025 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons prize, and the ICMP Ralph Peer II Award for Outstanding Contribution to Global Music Publishing.
“Jody Gerson is a visionary leader whose transformative impact on the music industry is matched only by her unwavering commitment to creativity, inclusion, and innovation,” said Ancestry board chair Mark Thompson.
“Her deep understanding of storytelling and culture makes her an invaluable addition to Ancestry’s board as we continue to help people discover, preserve, and share their unique family stories.”
“I’m honored to join Ancestry’s board at a time when the connection between storytelling and identity is more meaningful than ever.”
Jody Gerson, UMPG
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 deal that also saw Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Private Limited retain a 25% stake in the company.
Ancestry says it has 3 million subscribers, 27 million people in its DNA network, and a collection of 65 billion records. It has around $1 billion in annual revenue.
The issue of genealogy databases has been in the news of late, following the bankruptcy of Ancestry rival 23AndMe earlier this year. The news that biotech firm Regeneron Pharmaceuticals would be buying 23AndMe triggered privacy concerns about the company’s DNA database.
Attorneys general from 27 US states and the District of Columbia have filed a lawsuit to block any sale of the company’s DNA data without the consent of its users.Music Business Worldwide
