Manda from Def Jam to IGA

GO WEST, YOUNG MANDA: This just in from UMG HQ: Joie Manda has resigned as President of Def Jam to relocate back to L.A. As part of his relocation, he'll remain within the Universal Music Group family by joining Interscope Records as President of Urban Music. The announcement was made jointly by East Coast topper Barry Weiss and IGA Prexy/COO John Janick, who’ll be Joie’s new boss. “Despite having to move back to Los Angeles for personal reasons, I am truly grateful to Barry, John and Jimmy Iovine for this exciting new opportunity," said Manda. "I've learned a lot from Barry in the last year and am very appreciative of everything he has done for me. I am now looking forward to being part of the Interscope family, a company uniquely positioned for success despite this challenging marketplace." Stated Weiss: "While we understand Joie’s personal reasons for wanting to move back to Los Angeles, we’re thankful for all of his contributions to Def Jam. We wish him success in his new role at our sister label.” And Janick offered: "Joie is an important part of the fabric of UMG, and I'm glad we were all able to work together to make this transition possible for him. I've known Joie for some time, and I've always been impressed by his work ethic and instincts. He's going to play a big role in the future of Interscope." (3/28a)