Ellie Goulding initiated legal claims for breach of fiduciary duty in the U.K. on July 24 against her former managers Ben Mawson and Ed Millet of TaP Management, as well as the firm’s parent company HNOE Limited, according to court records reviewed by Billboard.
Goulding, who signed to TaP in 2018 and remained there through 2025, alleges that Mawson and Millet pushed her to conduct business with Live Nation for touring, merchandise and a documentary film without disclosing that Live Nation had purchased a controlling stake in HNOE in 2015 and bought out the rest of the company in 2019.
According to the lawsuit, the ownership arrangement subjected Mawson and Millet to contractual obligations that barred them from steering artists away from Live Nation deals. Goulding claims this meant her managers did not prioritize securing the best commercial terms available to her.
According to the lawsuit, the defendants had a personal interest or duty in dealings between Goulding and Live Nation-affiliated companies that conflicted with her interest in securing the best available commercial terms.
Goulding is seeking unspecified financial damages. Live Nation, which is neither named as a defendant nor accused of wrongdoing, declined to comment. Representatives for Goulding and TaP did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Source: Billboard
