BMG yesterday announced a restructure that is, we are told, "designed to future proof" the company and "further develop its ability to deliver for artists and songwriters on a global scale".
The big changes are on the recordings side of the business which, BMG says, is being rejigged to bring it in line with the publishing side. "The new structure for BMG’s recordings business will make a clear distinction between local expertise in artist relationships and global functions which serve them", it explains in a statement.
As part of all that, a new global catalogue function will be set up in LA, meanwhile - in Continental Europe - the company will be "renewing its frontline recorded business in a new ‘hub-and-spoke’ structure".
"Catalogue, sales and marketing will now become global functions", it adds, an approach already take with investments, tech, rights and royalties. Local campaign management will then “work with a new global marketing team responsible for analytics, content creation, and media planning and buying".
BMG boss Thomas Coesfeld says the changes are necessary because "music is going through another tectonic change".
He adds: "BMG has challenged the conventions of the music industry ever since we began … now new ways of creating and consuming music and looming changes in streaming economics are challenging us to do even better for our clients".
There have already been a number of changes at BMG since Coesfeld took over as CEO in July. The company ended a long-term partnership with Warner Music's ADA on distribution, bringing digital distribution in-house and allying with Universal Music on physical product.
It then announced a number of redundancies in October, impacting the firm's international marketing department and those involved in theatre and film projects, and its Modern Recordings label.