Billy began working together at Telstar Records in 1994 on compilations where he championed the trend for mass marketing ‘niche’ compilations and was responsible for string of best-sellers (Dance Mania, Dance Boom, Agia Napa Fantasy Island, Junglemania, 100% Acid Jazz, 100% Pure Groove, Best Swing to name a few)
However, it was through their successful steering of the careers of Craig David & Mis Teeq that Billy, alongside promotions manager Rob Stuart, made his mark on the music industry. He did urban A&R as well as orchestrated the promotion for Craig David’s debut album ‘Born To Do It’, which sold 7 million copies and turned out 5 Top 10 singles. They went on to sign Mis Teeq to the label, and A&R’d and promoted the platinum selling album “Lickin’ on Both Sides” which boasted five UK Top 10 singles.
On setting up 2Point9 with Rob Stuart in 2003, he quickly established the company as the No 1 for contemporary crossover Asian-Western music with the company both managing the artists and releasing their records. 2Point9’s first signing, Jay Sean, sold over 300,000 copies of his debut album ‘Me Against Myself’, and went multi-platinum in India, a territory where 2Point9 have enjoyed huge success. Their other artists also enjoying international success at a level that is generally rare for supposedly ‘niche’ artists having toured in over 100 cities in four continents.
In 2007 saw 2Point9 refocus their business, making a decision to re enter the UK urban crossover market. Using his experience in creating effective strategies for exposing “niche” markets to a mainstream audience, he saw the follow up album from Jay Sean ‘Me against myself’ enter the UK album charts at No 6 on the back of two top 20 singles. The company has focussed on thinking out of the box and ways to survive as an independent by creating new models of working.
In 2007 Billy was cited in a Guardian newspaper ‘Power List’ as one of the Top 30 most important ethnic minority figures in the media industry.
