René Houareau is Managing Director Legal & Policy at the Bundesverband Musikindustrie e.V. (BVMI). The lawyer initially joined the BVMI in 2008 as a legal advisor, then took over as Head of Legal Affairs and, in mid-2014, also assumed responsibility for the political representation of the association's interests as Head of Legal & Policy. Previously, he worked as Manager Business & Legal Affairs at Universal Music in Berlin. He represents the BVMI's interests in the German Cultural Council, among others, and is also involved in the advisory board of the Artists' Social Security Fund.