BMG Increases U.S. Ops, Elevates Loba & Scherer
• BMG announced it will further increase investment in its U.S. record labels as it ‘doubles down’ on its North America operation, which already accounts for more than 50% of its revenue.
As part of the plan, BMG Nashville President Jon Loba will become President, Frontline Recordings, North America, taking charge of BMG’s entire North American frontline records business across Nashville, Los Angeles, New York and Canada, and Thomas Scherer will become President, Global Catalog Recordings, while retaining his responsibilities as President, Music Publishing, North America. Alongside CFO, North America Joe Gillen, they will comprise BMG’s U.S.-based leadership.
CEO Thomas Coesfeld said, “We are making good on our promise to double down on our U.S. operation with a distinctive new approach: an integrated frontline operation spanning the whole of North America plus a Global Catalog business steered from Los Angeles. BMG is stepping up. This is an integral part of our new strategy to deliver for artists and songwriters and go for growth.”
Coesfeld added, “Under Jon Loba, BMG Nashville has exceeded our expectations year after year. Jon is not only one of the most accomplished record executives in Nashville, the multi-genre success he has achieved with Jelly Roll makes him the ideal person to take additional responsibility for our Los Angeles, New York and Canada recordings business as we further pursue our objective of making BMG the most effective and artist-friendly destination for artists, both established and new. Jon is a true entrepreneur and combines music savvy with an instinctive and well-rounded managerial style. I’m delighted he is stepping up to take on this challenge.”
Loba, who joined BMG in 2017 when the company acquired BBR Music Group, said, “We have created something special with our artists in Nashville. I’m excited at the opportunity to apply the timeless formula we have employed there — genuine partnership with authentic new artists — to BMG’s broader North American recorded business. I am grateful to Thomas Coesfeld for his constant inspiration and trust and to the broader BMG team. It’s been an exciting six months since Thomas was named CEO. His energetic and strategic approach to the business has been very inspirational for all of us, because that’s the way our Nashville team runs. I’m looking so forward to working even closer with our staff throughout North America and as important, helping bring the visions of our amazing artists to life.”
Scherer joined BMG in 2008, moving to Los Angeles as EVP Global Writer Services in 2014. In 2016 he took on BMG’s U.S. music publishing business as EVP, BMG U.S. Publishing, before being promoted to President, Repertoire & Marketing, Los Angeles and New York, responsible for publishing, frontline recordings and production music.
Coesfeld said, “Thomas Scherer is a seasoned and trusted BMG executive who has served BMG in a wide variety of roles with significant success. He is the ideal person to lead our new streaming-first global catalog operation based in Los Angeles, while also retaining oversight of our important North American music publishing business, the backbone of BMG’s U.S. operation. With Thomas at the helm of our Global Catalog Recorded organization, BMG will step up its investments in catalog. Together with our value-added approach to managing artists’ lifetime achievements, BMG will be uniquely positioned. Together with Jon and Joe, Thomas will deliver the expertise, energy and focus we need to further grow our business.”
Scherer commented, “BMG’s L.A.-based global catalog hub will be a genuinely digital-first catalog operation with dedicated digital, marketing and content creation teams to add value to the priceless catalog we have built and will add to with further acquisitions. I’m grateful to Thomas for the opportunity to build BMG’s Global Catalog operations to become the destination of choice for established and iconic artists around the world.”
Pictured, (l-r): Jon Loba, Thomas Coesfeld, & Thomas Scherer [Copyright, BMG].
