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Rejigs and redundancies as Universal/EMI consolidation continues
By Chris Cooke | Published on Wednesday 30 January 2013
More rejigs, revamps and redundancies have been incoming this week as Universal Music properly absorbs the record company formerly known as EMI.
First to Latin America, and Mexico where two former EMI execs have been given senior roles overseeing the combined Universal/EMI operations in the country. Alfredo Delgadillo, formerly Commercial & Music Services Director at EMI Mexico, will become GM of the combined Universal Music Mexico company, while EMI marketing man Fernando Grediaga becomes Marketing Director for the consolidated business.
The new appointments follow the departures of the former chiefs of both EMI and Universal in the country, EMI’s Robbie Lear and Universal’s José Puig. The former plans to extend his education work, and also launch a new venture in partnership with Universal. The latter is said to be departing the music major for “personal reasons”.
Elsewhere within the Universal Music Latin America division, Universal man Manuel Peña becomes MD of the firm’s business in the Andean Region (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru), Central America and the Caribbean, while EMI man Ernesto Vicente becomes SVP Strategic Marketing for the entire Latin America unit.
Over in Australia, the Universal/EMI merger has also come into effect this week, following the departure earlier this month of Mark Poston, Chairman of EMI Australia.
It’s thought Universal will retain an EMI label within its Australian business, with some EMI A&Rs and marketers staying within that unit. Other EMI staffers may be offered roles in Universal labels, while back office functions will be merged into their equivalent UMG departments. Overall, though, it is thought around 20 EMI employees will be let go.
And finally back to the US, where the former flagship EMI label, Capitol, now a Universal division being led by Steve Barnett, has appointed long-term Universal exec Todd von Mende to the role of Chief Financial Officer.
