“We have a moral duty to the players”: Fender CEO Bud Cole on leading with responsibility
Edward “Bud” Cole, Fender’s new CEO, has said the brand has a moral duty to its players, and that his leadership style factors in this huge responsibility to take care of the brand and drive it forward.
Cole was appointed as the new leader for Fender in January, with outgoing CEO Andy Mooney retiring after a decade in the role. Cole had served as President of Fender Asia Pacific (APAC) for over 10 years, and oversaw some of the company’s most significant growth initiatives, leading the expansion of the Fender business into 14 countries.
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Speaking to Music Inc Magazine, Cole says of his new position, “Honestly, it’s beyond words. There’s a weight to it, and I mean that in the best possible way. I’ve been entrusted with something that is genuinely one of the most significant and meaningful brands in the world.
“Fender isn’t just an instrument company. It’s a language, a cultural ecosystem. When someone picks up a Fender guitar, they’re holding 80 years of history – every riff, every record, every performance, every artist who ever found their voice through this instrument.”
He adds, “That responsibility is something I feel every single day. It keeps me sharp. It keeps me humble. Everything we create, everything we say, everything we do has to honour that truth: music matters, guitars matter and players matter. Fender has always been, and will continue to be, at the centre of that story.”
Speaking of the broader family of brands under the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, he goes on to say that his focus is on “leading boldly and making sure Fender is unmistakably Fender today and for generations to come”.
Cole explains, “What’s beautiful about the portfolio is that every brand under the FMIC umbrella has its own distinct identity and sensibility. Its own voice, its own player and its own story. And through the lens of this family of brands, we’re able to give players something truly meaningful: choice.”
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Cole says his leadership style is about leading with heart and fostering a safe environment that encourages Fender’s staff to be committed, highly skilled and highly motivated. He later adds, “When you think about what Fender represents, 80 years of shaping music culture, the No. 1 electric guitar and bass brand in the world, being a servant leader here feels less like a style choice and more like a responsibility.
“We have a moral duty to the players – current and future – who pick up a guitar and use it to express something they can’t say any other way. Music matters. Guitars matter. And it’s both a privilege and an honour to inspire and empower the people around me to honour that.”
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
