JOHN BRANCA

For the Rolling Stones, Branca helped implement the structure of the modern touring business used by Live Nation for national tour promotion and sponsorship. Other clients have included sports figure Mike Tyson, the Jackson Robinson Foundation, Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, independent record labels Interscope Records, Death Row Records, and Rhino Records, and industry investors Sony Music, EMI Music, Vivendi, Matsushita, JVC, Richard Branson, and Primary Wave, among others.

Under Branca’s direction, the Ziffren Brittenham music department represents the most important and diverse group of contemporary artists in the world including Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkson, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Hudson, Tom Petty Estate, Pharrell, Olivia Rodrigo, Rosalia, Travis Scott, Shakira, Blake Shelton, SZA, Justin Timberlake, and the Universal Music Group, among others.

Branca has handled or advised on some of the most important sales and acquisitions in music industry history, including Vivendi’s $6 billion acquisition of Universal Music, the world’s largest music company, and Sony Music Publishing’s $2.2 billion acquisition of EMI Music creating the world’s largest music publishing company and on which Branca held a Board seat.

Most notably Branca had a longstanding relationship with Michael Jackson. He supported and assisted Jackson in the integration of MTV and served as Jackson’s chief business advisor for the “Thriller” album, the largest selling album in history. He masterminded for Jackson the purchase of the Beatles catalog, was the architect of the merger creating Sony ATV, and handled the sale of the Jackson Estate’s interest in Sony ATV for $750 million and the sale of its interest in EMI Music for $287 million.

Since Michael’s passing in 2009, John has served as Co-Executor and Manager of the Michael Jackson Estate, guiding the Estate from $500 million in debt to a valuation in excess of $2 billion and earnings in excess of $3 billion. 60 Minutes called it “the most remarkable financial and image resurrection in pop culture history.” For the Michael Jackson Estate, Branca negotiated the largest recording agreement in music history. Twice.  He produced with Cirque du Soleil two of the most successful live shows of all time, co-produced the four-time Tony winning smash Broadway show “MJ” and its various touring and spinoff shows, and is co-producing the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic with Academy Award winning producer Graham King.

John is actively involved in and supports various charities. He sits on the Board of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, Occidental College, the Barack Obama Scholars Program at Occidental College, the Ziffren Center at UCLA Law School, and the Herb Albert School of Music at UCLA. Branca served as the Chairman of MusiCares, the industry’s most important charity dealing with alcoholism and drug addiction and remains Chairman Emeritus.

Branca grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. His father, John R. Branca, served as a New York State Assemblyman and was instrumental in enacting boxing safety reforms as Chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission.  His mother Barbara Werle was an actress, singer and dancer who appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and co-starred in such classic Elvis Presley films as Charro and toured the country appearing in shows in Las Vegas.  John’s uncle, baseball great Ralph Branca, was a 3-time All Star starting pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers and pitched in two World Series. He was a teammate and close friend of Jackie Robinson and stood up for Robinson when he first joined the team. Branca appeared in the film ”42” and served as an advisor.

Branca moved to Los Angeles when he was eleven and later worked as a songwriter and musician with Original Sound Records before attending college. Branca is a graduate of Occidental College, where he serves as a trustee, and UCLA Law School. He served on the executive committee of the university’s Pauley Pavilion Renovation Campaign Committee.

He established the Branca Institute of Music at Occidental College.   In honor of his uncle and his relationship with Jackie Robinson, Branca established and funded Club 42 to provide baseball coaching and college counseling for young men in underserved communities and the Branca Family Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium for use by community youth groups.  He recently endowed the Branca Family pitching facility at the New York University Athletics baseball program where his son pitches for the baseball team and where his uncle played.

Branca has received degrees from Los Angeles City College, Occidental College, and UCLA Law School, and has been named Alumnus of the Year by all three institutions. He is an ongoing lecturer at the Harvard Business School, UCLA Law School, USC, and Occidental College.