Warner Music Group has poached top Sony executive Rob Wiesenthal as it prepares to make a run at the Parlophone label and other EMI assets up for grabs.
Warner, backed by billionaire Len Blavatnik, named Wiesenthal as its new chief operating officer yesterday. He will report to Warner CEO Steven Cooper.
Wiesenthal is expected to be the chief dealmaker for the third largest music major, which lost the bidding war for UK rival EMI but is still pursuing pieces being divested by Universal and Sony as a condition of winning European approval for the deal.
Wiesenthal, the chief financial officer of Sony’s US operations, oversaw a number of deals to include a Sony-led consortium’s recent acquisition of EMI’s music publishing assets for $2.2 billion. Universal purchased EMI’s recorded music business for $1.9 billion.
“Everyone knows Rob’s incredible financial prowess in putting together the complex structure of EMI [acquisition] for Sony, but few know of his contacts with creative people,” said Irving Azoff, the executive of concert giant Live Nation. “I hope people don’t just think he’s an M&A guy.”