As many as 150 EMI employees are facing redundancy, which is interesting, I didn't know there were still 150 people left working for EMI. The good news for any EMIer outside of Southeast Asia is that all these job cuts will take place in, well, Southeast Asia. Which is bad news for those in Southeast Asia, though presumably not a surprise, given the redundancies follow the previously reported announcement that EMI was withdrawing from various Southeast Asian markets and handing over the distribution of its global catalogue in those territories to the Warner Music Group.
It's Billboard who have come up with the figure of 150 EMI staffers being hit by the restructure in the region. Though they do quote the boss of Warner Music Asia Pacific, Lachie Rutherford, as saying that they may take on some of those EMIers as they expand their operations in the region to cope with the extra work their EMI deal will create. He told the trade magazine "in some instances we're taking the opportunity to bring some talented people [from EMI] into the organisation", though he wouldn't comment on just how many former EMI employees may be absorbed.
Though Billboard cite local sources as saying Warner will only look to take on a handful of the EMI workforce - mainly those with digital or marketing roles. They say EMI Music Malaysia staffers have already been told that only six people, including Sales & Marketing Director Herman Cheng, will be kept on.
Elsewhere in EMI news, rumour has it Pink Floyd may follow the Rolling Stones and move their catalogue away from the London-based major. I'm not entirely sure what the deal is between EMI and the Floyd regarding ownership of their catalogue - one of the Western world's best selling recording catalogues, and the third biggest selling catalogue in the US after the Beatles and AC/DC - but the consensus is reps for the band are in talks with other possible partners to handle some or all of it moving forward.