With post-takeover restructuring in the US more or less complete, Edgar Bronfmann Jnr's Warner Music Group has now begun its restructuring in Europe. The major yesterday announced a new central organisation which will bring together its operations in Germany, Switzerland and Austria - WMI GSA.
Current head of Warner Music Germany, Bernd Dopp, will become CEO of the new organisation, while the head of Warner Music Eastern Europe, Manfred Lappe, will become COO of WMI GSA, while maintaining his Eastern Europe remit. Dopp will oversee marketing, A&R, legal and business affairs and the Group's publishing activities, while Lappe will concentrate on finance and IT. Dopp will report to Paul-Rene Albertini, CEO of Warner Music International.
Announcing the appointments Albertini told reporters yesterday: "WMI GSA, closely linked with Eastern Europe will create a very large market platform, providing a competitive advantage for global repertoire exploitation. It will also integrate instantly into the recently enlarged EU. In the face of extraordinarily challenging market conditions, I am extremely confident in the Dopp/Lappe team. This new organisation enables us to draw upon Bernd's well-known expertise in bringing music to consumers, and Manfred's long track record engineering effective business models into difficult marketplaces."