David Bowie referenced Daft Punk and One Direction, and suggested that he is working on a new album, in a message honouring Columbia chairman Rob Stringer.

The Columbia chairman was given the Strat Award - for an industry exec who has reshaped the business with their career - last night (April 24) at the Music Week Awards in London.

The message, which was also posted to Bowie's Facebook, reads: "When I first knocked on the door of his office at Sony, New York, you can imagine my surprise when a member of Daft Punk opened it.

"In silence he brought me in and indicated that I should take a seat on the comfy armchair to the right of the chairman's desk, around which he moved and took his place in the chairman's chair.

"He removed the shiny helmet.

"It was Rob.

"'This,' he said 'is how far I will go for my artists.' I found out that during the course of that day Rob had not only guested as an executive third Daft Punk member at a lunchtime gig at a club in Manhattan, but had also led a Dylanology symposium at Barneys clothing store, sung falsetto on a new London Grammar track and choreographed a touching interpretive dance number to One Direction's 'They Don't Know About Us' for the cast of Glee.

"Knowing him for the man he is, it came as no surprise that he had won tonight's most prestigious award, The Strat.

"If you become the object of his enthusiasm an artist will find a genuine long-term support that is sadly missing in the recording industry.

"When he asked me if I minded if he took a few Saturdays off from his duties as percussionist on my new album this year in order to catch the Luton Town football club fixtures, how could I refuse? It's the least I could offer to the man who with his own hands pulled my album to number one throughout the world.

"Congrats for The Strat, Rob. You're a star.

"David Bowie 2014"

Bowie's spokespeople have declined to comment on the reference to "my new album this year".

The singer's 2013 album The Next Day topped the UK chart, peaking at number two on the US Billboard 200.