Virgin
A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, de Buretel was appointed in 1986 CEO of Virgin Publishing France by Richard Branson and went on to sign artists such as Youssou Ndour, Cheb Khaled, Mano Negra, Les Négresses Vertes.
He was instrumental in the emergence of the hip hop genre in France with successes of IAM, Tonton David and many more.
In 1991, he created Delabel Records (a division of Virgin) and signed artists such as Keziah Jones, IAM, Tonton David, les Rita Mitsouko, Rhoff, -M- and many others.
From 1992, de Buretel was at the head of Virgin Records France where he created Delabel, Source, Labels, a collection of creative independent cells under the “labels” banner which was considered to be one of the most credible independent platforms in Europe and an alternative to major companies. [7] He brought artists like Manu Chao, Air, and Daft Punk to international attention when he took over at the head of Virgin Continental Europe back in 1998. [8]
During the same period, Ken Berry, former CEO of EMI Music Worldwide, let him set up his publishing company Delabel Editions.
Emmanuel de Buretel signed writers and composers including Louise Attaque, Daft Punk, Air, Doc Gyneco, Cheb Mami, Madredeus.
He also acquired the catalogs Sidonie Crescelles (Serge Gainsbourg, Julien Clerc, Jacques Brel...) and Vanessa Paradis (first two albums).
EMI Europe
He became President of EMI Continental Europe [9] in London in 2001, at the head of a group of 21 subsidiaries within which he developed a catalogue of European artists such as M83, Daft Punk, Tiziano Ferro, Lene Marlin and Röyksopp, and signed David Guetta under Virgin France. He was instrumental in the acquisition of the independent label Mute by EMI.
In 2002, taking inspiration from the Mercury Prize, he created the Prix Constantin [10] which rewards young artists for having imprinted their talent on the world every year.
