(CelebrityAccess MediaWire)
Edgar Berger has been appointed president, Sony BMG Germany effective September 1.
He will be responsible for Domestic Repertoire, International, Strategic Marketing/Media and Catalogue for Sony BMG Germany, areas formerly overseen by Maarten Steinkamp, president Sony BMG Continental Europe and Chairman and CEO, Sony BMG Germany. The GUN Label Group and Sony BMG Germany's Chief Operating Officer, as well as the Human Resources and Corporate Communications departments will continue to report directly to Steinkamp. Berger will be named the company's chief executive officer in spring 2006.
"I am proud that an executive as dynamic and experienced as Edgar will join the Sony BMG Germany team," commented . Steinkamp. "We have specifically looked for a candidate whose management experience comes from outside the music industry to help infuse our business with a fresh approach. Based on his impressive track record in various positions in the media business and working closely with our talented management team, Edgar will advance our goal of continuing to implement innovation at the company. I look forward to working with him and wish him much success."
Berger most recently served as executive vice president, Bertelsmann AG, since 2000. As head of Bertelsmann AG's Corporate Network, he was responsible for synergy management and all issues related to strategic developments throughout Bertelsmann, working extensively on the expansion initiative, instituted by the company's chairman and CEO Gunter Thielen. In addition, he helped build the Bertelsmann Corporate Network, with offices in Hamburg and New York, reporting to Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, chairman and CEO of the Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) and chief creative officer, Bertelsmann. Berger started his professional career in 1992 at consulting firm Roland Berger & Partners. From 1994-2000, he worked as a television reporter for IA-Television and RTL Television in Berlin. From 1998 to 2000, he was the political correspondent for RTL in Bonn and Berlin. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
