Combined BMG-Concord Music Company Appoints Björn Bauer CFO

Longtime Bertelsmann executive Björn Bauer has been named Chief Financial Officer of the company created by the merger of BMG and Concord. He will be based in Nashville and report to designated CEO Bob Valentine.

The role:

• Bauer will oversee the business’s finance functions and assume responsibility for the M&A team.

The details:

• The appointment will take effect when the merger is completed, likely in the second half of 2026.

• Until then, BMG’s current CFO, Mathis Wolter, will continue to oversee the firm’s finance division, after which he will assume new responsibilities within Bertelsmann.

• Current Concord CFO Kent Hoskins will stay on in the role until the merger closes; it is “anticipated” he will take another senior leadership position within the combined company.

Bauer backstory:

• Since 2019 Bauer has served as CFO at entertainment company RTL Group, which is majority-owned by BMG’s parent company Bertelsmann.

• He has been involved in the Group’s major transactions, including the recently approved acquisition of Sky Deutschland (GSA), and the sale of RTL Netherlands.

• Prior he held senior roles within Bertelsmann, beginning in 2007.

• He also served as CFO at Relias, Bertelsmann’s US-based online learning provider.

What they said:

• Thomas Coesfeld, designated Chairman of the combined company: “Björn brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of delivering strong results through operational excellence and disciplined financial management. We are delighted that he is expected to join the combined company following completion of the transaction and look forward to the impact he will have as we continue to strengthen and grow the business. At the same time, I would like to thank Mathis for playing an instrumental role in shaping BMG’s strategic transformation, and for being a trusted partner to me and the executive team over the past three years.”