Ellie Goulding has brought a legal claim against her former managers over their company’s undisclosed ownership by Live Nation.
The claim names TaP Management co-founders Ben Mawson and Ed Millett, alongside TaP’s parent company, HNOE Ltd.
That’s according to Variety, which first reported the claim on Monday (August 17) after obtaining a copy of it.
The claim was issued in the UK on July 24.
Mawson and Millett managed Goulding from 2018 through 2025 on a 20% commission, according to the claim.
Over that period, she entered into agreements with Live Nation companies covering touring, merchandise, and a documentary film.
Goulding alleges she was unaware that Live Nation also owned the company managing her career.
According to Variety, the claim treats Mawson and Millett as employees of Live Nation.
On that basis, it alleges, they “had a personal interest or duty in dealings between Ms. Goulding and companies in the Live Nation group which was in actual or potential conflict with the interests of Ms. Goulding in securing the best commercial terms with whichever promoter, merchandiser or other counterparty it was most advantageous for her to deal with.”
The claim continues that “Mr. Mawson and Mr. Millett were subject to contractual obligations not to encourage any artist under their management to cease to do business with… any company in the Live Nation group.”
“Mr. Mawson and Mr. Millett were subject to contractual obligations not to encourage any artist under their management to cease to do business with… any company in the Live Nation group.”
Ellie Goulding lawsuit allegation
Live Nation acquired 50.1% of HNOE in 2015 and bought the remainder of the company in 2019, according to the claim.
Mawson was named HNOE‘s CEO after the full buyout, and he and Millett report “directly to an individual designated by Live Nation‘s chief executive officer,” the claim states.
Since 2015, the claim says, Live Nation has exercised “direct or indirect control of HNOE and has (through its subsidiaries) received dividends as ultimate controlling shareholder of HNOE”.
Goulding is seeking unspecified “equitable compensation and/or damages for their breaches of fiduciary duty,” along with other relief.
HNOE Ltd today has two active persons with significant control, both Live Nation companies, according to Companies House records reviewed by MBW.
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is registered as holding more than 50% but less than 75% of HNOE‘s shares and voting rights.
Its correspondence address on the register, 9348 Civic Center Drive, Beverly Hills, matches the principal executive offices listed in Live Nation’s SEC filings.
The other co-owner of HNOE is listed is Artist Nation Management Limited, recorded as holding more than 25% but not more than 50% (and named Front Line Artist Management Limited until October 2015).
- Artist Nation Management Limited‘s only registered person with significant control is Ticketmaster Europe Holdco Limited, at 75% or more of its shares and voting rights, and with the right to appoint or remove directors.
- Ticketmaster Europe Holdco‘s only registered person with significant control, in turn, is Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., also at 75% or more of shares and voting rights, and with the right to appoint or remove directors.
- Mawson and Millett are each recorded as having ceased to be persons with significant control of HNOE on September 8, 2019, the same day Artist Nation‘s holding was notified.
Goulding signed to TaP in 2018, after nearly a decade at Sarah Stennett‘s companies, first Turn First Artists and then its successor, First Access Entertainment.
The artist has now returned to Sarah Stennett for management and signed with WME for worldwide representation, Variety reported.
In a 2018 interview with MBW, Mawson set out his view of the economics of an artist manager.
“In management, you’ve got to be really passionate and driven because you’re on a percentage and 20% of nothing is nothing,” Mawson said.
“There is no safety net in what we do – we are putting our necks on the line for people we believe in all the time,” added the TaP co-founder.
In the same interview, Millett said TaP‘s Australian office had been “set up by Angus & Julia Stone‘s manager, who was a promoter.”
That manager was Tim Manton, who would later become a defendant, alongside HNOE, in litigation brought by Angus and Julia Stone.
The duo sued HNOE and Manton in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, seeking compensation for, or restitution of, commission payments.
HNOE substantially won its appeal on November 19, 2024, with the NSW Court of Appeal staying the proceedings on the basis that an exclusive jurisdiction clause put the disputes before the High Court of Justice in London.
Live Nation managed approximately 360 artists in 2025 through its artist management companies, according to its most recent annual report.
As such, Live Nation says it believes it is one of the world’s leading artist management companies based on the number of artists represented.
Her sixth studio album, I Know Too Much, is due out on September 4.
MBW has reached out to Mawson, Millet and TaP for comment. Live Nation, which is neither named as a defendant nor accused of any wrongdoing, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Music Business Worldwide
