Paulette Long has worked within the music industry since leaving college in 1984. Beginning her career at Alan Edwards’ Modern Publicity company, she specialised in regional press for urban and contemporary artists as diverse as Smiley Culture, Luther Vandross, Ozzy Osbourne and Mick Jagger. Paulette also worked for their parent artist management company Grant Edwards Management who then looked after Big Country and The Cult. Whilst there she met the Director of Westbury Music Ltd and in 1988 joined the company, staying for four years working within all areas of publishing from business affairs to royalty accounts.

Continuing in a consultancy capacity for Westbury, Paulette worked for an advertising agency on their music accounts before, in 1993, setting up her own company, Long Term Management. Here she represented producer/remixer teams who were working with major R&B artistes, including Beverly Knight. Always having worked closely with Westbury Music, she was invited to rejoin in early 2000 when it was undergoing a major expansion. Three years later, she was offered a directorship.

Originally Paulette’s expertise at Westbury was with its extensive reggae back catalogue but as the company expanded she moved into A&R, focussing particularly on UK dance/underground writers. It is this independent UK scene that has been and continues to be very close to Paulette’s heart. Ensuring its interests are represented on a platform where it can have an official voice and where positive changes can actually be implemented is something she considers of utmost importance.

In May 2002 Paulette completed and passed her Masters in Music Business Management at Westminster University and in July 2004 became a Director on the board of the Music Publishers Association Ltd, the first black person to become a board director in the companies 123 year history.