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Ames To Head EMI Music North America
April 26, 2007
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| AMES |
By Brian Garrity, N.Y.
EMI has named former Warner Music Group chairman/CEO Roger Ames head of EMI Music North America. He will have offices in New York and Los Angeles and report to EMI CEO Eric Nicoli.
Ames is familiar with EMI's operations. He has been serving as a senior adviser to the company since March 2005. And in 1999, shortly after taking the reins of WMG, he led an ill-fated attempt to merge Warner Music and EMI. The deal was scrapped when it became apparent that it would not bear up to scrutiny from the European Commission.
In Ames' new role, the North American label heads including Capitol Music Group head Jason Flom -- a WMG alum who has previously served under Ames – will report into Ames, as will EMI Music Marketing topper Ronn Werre.
In a related move, Ivan Gavin is exiting his role as EMI Music COO. The company does not plan to name a replacement, a source close to EMI says. Ames ascension comes in the wake of the firing of former EMI Music heads Alain Levy and David Munns in January of this year. Nicoli has been overseeing the company's recorded music business in North America on an interim basis since then.
EMI's recorded music operations are now overseen by three executives: Ames, who heads up the U.S. and Canada; EMI U.K. chief Tony Wadsworth, and International head J.F. Cecillon whose responsibilities include continental Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Ames joined WMG in October 1999 and spent over four years at the helm of the major label group before its sale to a private equity group led by Edgar Bronfman Jr. in March 2004. He served another six months in an advisory role before cutting ties with the company in August 2004.
During his tenure at WMG, Ames is credited with halting the U.S. market-share erosion the company suffered throughout the '90s. In 2003, Ames' final year at the helm of WMG, the company's U.S. market share increased to 16.4%, up from 15.9% in 2002.
He was also responsible for restructuring the company ahead of its sale to the Bronfman group, and playing a key role in the industry's early support of iTunes and other digital music services.
Prior to his stint at WMG, Ames spent many years at PolyGram, serving as president of PolyGram Music Group from 1996-1998 and Chairman/CEO of PolyGram UK from 1993-1996.
A native of Trinidad, Ames started out in the business with EMI U.K. in 1975. He joined PolyGram U.K. in the A&R department of Phonogram in 1979 and moved to the newly restarted London Records as GM in 1983; later he became managing director.
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