EMI Group Plc, which ousted its two top music executives last week after issuing a profit warning, announced on Thursday two key appointments to its EMI Music management team.
JF Cecillon will become chairman and chief executive of the newly established EMI Music International unit which will focus on EMI’s recorded music business outside the UK and North
America.
Cecillon, who was previously in charge of EMI Music for continental Europe, will now oversee Asia, Latin America and
Australia and New Zealand.
Ian Hanson, previously senior vice president, chairman’s office, EMI Music, has been promoted to the global role of chief operating officer of EMI Music.
The world’s third-biggest music group said on Friday it had parted company with Alain Levy, its chairman and chief executive of EMI Music, and David Munns, his vice chairman.
Eric Nicoli, who has been executive chairman of EMI Group since 1999, has taken direct responsibility for managing EMI
Music and the two new appointments, Cecillon and Hanson, will report directly to him.
The announcement to drop Levy and Munns came as the group warned its revenues from the music business were likely to fall between 6 percent and 10 percent on a constant-currency basis.
Numis media analyst Lorna Tilbian told Reuters she thought the two men had been brought in to bolster Nicoli as he takes over running the music unit of the business.
Some analysts have questioned whether Nicoli is the right man to run the music unit as his expertise appears to be on the business side, with Collins Stewart analyst Simon Wallis saying he should not retain the job long term.
“For the past two and a half years, JF Cecillon has led our continental European operations across 21 countries and delivered a major turnaround in that business,” Nicoli said.
“During his tenure, EMI’s market share in the region has grown by nearly three points, profits have tripled and new artists have been established.
“He is the ideal candidate to help me run our recorded music business outside the UK and North America.”
“Ian Hanson is a proven deal-maker who has played a central role in developing and implementing new and innovative strategies across the business, from pioneering artist agreements with artists such as Robbie Williams, through to driving efficiencies.”
