Design and Artists Copyright Society appoints new CEO
Experienced lawyer behind implementation of UK government’s Artist’s Resale Right in 2012 named as head of copyright group.
The Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACs), has appointed Christian Zimmermann, as its new chief executive.
Zimmerman has spent his career protecting artists’ rights, having worked at DACS for 16 years. He is a qualified solicitor in the UK and Germany with a Masters in IP Law.
Before joining DACS in 2006, he worked at the Association of Photographers (AOP).
As an experienced negotiator, Zimmerman has defended and advocated for artists’ rights throughout his career.
He led negotiations with the government to fully implement the Artist’s Resale Right in 2012 that culminated in more artists and beneficiaries being able to benefit from the right in the long term.
He also steered DACS through an industry-wide valuation with the Copyright Licensing Agency to protect visual artists' share of collecting licensing revenue.
DACS chair Margaret Heffernan said: “On behalf of the board, I am delighted Christian Zimmermann has been appointed as DACS’ new chief executive.
From reshaping DACS’ commercial licensing arm to better enable DACS members' works to be reproduced in new and diverse ways, to managing DACS’ reputation as a global leader for rights management, Christian has a wealth of knowledge and unrivalled expertise to help DACS members navigate the changing global landscape.”
Zimmermann said: “DACS is a vital organisation paying out millions of pounds in royalties to tens of thousands of visual artists each year. Having spent my career advocating for artists’ rights, as DACS chief executive, I want to better enable artists to earn a living from their work and ensure that their intellectual property is recognised for its vital contribution to the UK’s £116 billion creative industries.”
In August, DACS published its latest Annual Review figures with 79,000 artists and estates receiving £17.2million in royalties through its services in 2021.
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