Billboard reports that the co-CEO of EMI Music Publishing is resigning following discussions with Edgar Bronfman Jnr which could see the EMI boss move to his Warner owned rival.
Martin Bandier is expected to leave EMI within weeks and some sources say that he will quickly take up a role at Warner, possibly spearheading a bid by Bronfman Jnr to takeover EMI's publishing company. Whether Warner would consider an acquisition of EMI's publishing company apart from a wider takeover of the EMI Group isn't clear - though it is likely EMI's board would oppose a partial sell off even more than a complete takeover (they being rather keen in acquiring Warner Music for themselves, of course).
Bandier's decision to go now, assuming such a decision has been made, isn't a total surprise given that fellow co-CEO Roger Faxon was expected to take over the whole job early next year anyway, with Bandier staying on as Chairman for a further twelve months. However, the new timescales of Bandier's departure could mean a radical change of strategy is needed at EMI Music Publishing, especially if a presumably hostile takeover bid is in the offing.