BURBANK — Jeff Ayeroff, former Co-Chairman of Virgin Records America and Co-Founder of the Work Group, has been named Creative Director of Warner Bros. Records and Creative Consultant to Warner Music Group (WMG). The announcement was made by Tom Whalley, Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Records Inc. In addition to his duties at Warner Bros. Records, Ayeroff will serve as Creative Consultant to WMG Chairman and CEO Roger Ames and represent WMG in certain AOL Time Warner cross-divisional initiatives. He will be based at Warner Bros. Records' headquarters in Burbank.

In making the announcement, Whalley said, "I couldn't be happier to be working with an executive who has the range of talents Jeff brings to the label. Creativity has been the cornerstone of everything he's done in the music business. His experience with building careers of world-class artists combined with his natural talent make a perfect fit for the future of Warner Bros. Records."

Ayeroff said, "I'm incredibly pleased by the opportunity to return to Warner Bros. Records, where I spent some of my best years and did some of my finest creative work. I've had the privilege to work in many capacities in the music industry — lawyer, art director, label president — and alongside numerous extraordinary visual and musical artists. It's been a remarkable journey, and I'm looking forward to continuing it with Tom Whalley at the premier label in the business."

Ayeroff began his career in the music business as an entertainment attorney, joining A&M Records in 1974 as assistant to label president Gil Friesen and being appointed shortly thereafter to the position of Creative Director.

Leaving A&M, he became Senior Vice President and Creative Director for Warner Bros. Records in 1983. His renowned collaborations with video directors, designers and Warner Bros. musical artists Madonna, Don Henley, Prince, Paul Simon, Talking Heads, ZZ Top and Dire Straits, among others, resulted in numerous awards for album covers and music videos during his tenure at the label.

In 1986, Ayeroff and partner Jordan Harris joined Richard Branson and founded Virgin Records America. At Virgin, Ayeroff and Harris signed and oversaw the careers of such artists as Janet Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, Smashing Pumpkins, Ben Harper, Keith Richards, Neneh Cherry, The Rolling Stones and Massive Attack.

Ayeroff left Virgin in 1994 following the company's acquisition by EMI and co-founded The WORK Group with Harris. There, they signed and developed Fiona Apple, Jamiroquai, (both of whom won MTV and Grammy awards), Jennifer Lopez, Eagle Eye Cherry, Diana King, LEN and Ben Taylor.

In 1998, Ayeroff became an independent consultant. Living a lifelong dream, he went to work for Apple Records President Neil Aspinall with whom he orchestrated the U.S. marketing campaign for the highly successful The Beatles One album.

Ayeroff is the Co-Chairman of Rock the Vote, a non-partisan, non-profit organization he founded in 1989 in response to a wave of political attacks on freedom of speech and artistic expression. Rock the Vote is dedicated to protecting freedom of expression and helping young people realize and utilize their power to affect change in the civic and political lives of their communities. To date, the organization has registered more than a million young people to vote.

Warner Bros. Records is a Warner Music Group company. Warner Music Group is an AOL Time Warner company.