On The Move: BMG and Concord Merges; Pipeline Media Adds Three Senior Executives

Each week, NIF & ROSTR tracks all the industry moves you need to know about. Promotions, hirings, farewells — have one you want to share? Click here.

BMG and Concord have confirmed their merger, with Bertelsmann taking a majority stake in the combined entity. Bob Valentine, formerly at the helm of Concord, will serve as CEO of the new company, while Thomas Coesfeld moves into the Chairman role. The deal is expected to close in the second half of the year, pending regulatory approval.

Pipeline Media has added three senior executives to its leadership team with Jennifer Scher as CFO, Jason Munro as General Counsel and Jay Srivastav as Head of Data & Product. Scher brings over two decades of music finance experience, Munro joins from BMG where he led business and legal affairs for recorded music in North America and Srivastav previously co-founded royalty management platform Syncopate.

Allison Jones has been appointed to EVP of A&R at Big Machine Records/Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment, expanding her oversight across the label's full roster. Jones has been a key part of the company's creative team since 2008, with a career in Nashville A&R that stretches back decades.

Cedrick "SB" Earsery has been named CEO of Only The Family (OTF), the label co-founded by Lil Durk that he has helped build since 2010. Earsery steps into the top role after serving as the label's COO, bringing a track record that includes negotiating Lil Durk's deal with Def Jam, a stint as VP of A&R at Mosley Music Group, and securing OTF's distribution partnership with Sony AWAL.

Universal Music has tapped Sam Hu as Managing Director of UM China and SVP of Universal Music Greater China. Hu brings more than twenty years of experience navigating the Chinese market, having previously held leadership positions at Warner Music China, Sony Music Entertainment China and Taihe Music Group.

Warner Chappell Music is making its formal entrance into India, expanding the company's footprint in one of the world's fastest-growing music markets. Jay Mehta, who has steered Warner Music India's recorded music operations since 2020, will now extend his remit to cover publishing as well.

Sophie Jones is stepping down from her role as Chief Strategy Officer at the BPI to become CEO of the Royal Television Society. Before her six years in the music industry, Jones built her career across some of the UK's most prominent television institutions.

Joseph Hudak has been promoted to Deputy Editor and Head of Country at Rolling Stone, where he will oversee the publication's country music output across editorial, digital, social, audio, and live formats, while also deepening the outlet's presence in Nashville.

Other notable moves…

• Niccolò Fransolet has joined The Feldman Agency as a booking agent, based in Montreal. He previously held agency roles at Spectra Musique and Evenko.

• Versa Expands Brand & Corporate Division with Brent Freed Hire - Inside the $100M Talent Strategy Firm

• Lauren Walters moves up to SVP at Surfdog/DKM, the indie company operating Surfdog Records and DKM Management.

• AEG Presents has made two additions to its marketing leadership Katie Mae Miller steps into the VP of Integrated Marketing role for AEG Regions and Chelsea Cloud comes on board as VP of Integrated Marketing at Goldenvoice.

• mtheory has elevated Ed Rivadavia to EVP of Marketing & Operations and Kaitlyn Moore to General Manager.

• Kyle W. Jones has been appointed Chief Growth Officer at Concert Stuff Group.

• Peachtree Entertainment has brought Aaron Siuda aboard as SVP of Marketing, alongside Andrew Hingley as VP of Artist Relations and Development.

• Megan Wise takes on the VP of Brand Partnerships role at Breakaway.

• Wendy Recio has been upped to Head of Legal & Administration for Spain and Portugal at Warner Chappell Music.

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