BMG - The New Music Company

We’re thrilled to announce that BMG has signed the Keychange Pledge. With the signing, BMG joins a growing list of industry leaders dedicated to achieving at least 50% representation of women and gender-diverse individuals in their programming, staffing, and beyond.    Pierrot Raschdorff, Senior Director Global Corporate Responsibility at BMG, said: “The music industry thrives on creativity, diversity, and innovation. However, sustainable success can only be achieved if all genders are equally represented and valued. Equality is therefore not just a question of fairness; diverse teams are demonstrably more successful. We are delighted to join the Keychange initiative and look forward to working together to promote gender equality in the music industry and beyond.”   The signing of the Keychange Pledge by BMG marks a significant milestone for the Keychange movement, which has now garnered support from 700 Pledge Signers worldwide.    Read more: https://lnkd.in/d2mXHg2n

For the first time, "The Concert for Bangladesh", the GRAMMY® Award-winning album from George Harrison, Ravi Shankar & friends, is now available for streaming across all major digital music providers worldwide.   The Concert for Bangladesh was the first major music benefit of its kind. Two sold out concerts at New York’s Madison Square Garden brought together an extraordinary assemblage of major artists collaborating for a common humanitarian goal – setting the precedent that music could be used to serve a higher cause. #concertforbangladesh   George Harrison said at the time: “The musicians were great. I mean they completely put down their own egos to play together and to do something because the whole vibe of that concert was that it was something bigger than the lot of us.”   Harrison organized the two groundbreaking concerts to direct global attention to the unfolding humanitarian crisis and raise funds for UNICEF’s work with the refugees. He assembled an all-star line-up of fellow artists including Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, and, of course, Ravi Shankar. All net proceeds will go to the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF, continuing the legacy of supporting children in need around the world. ➡️ Stream the album here: https://lnkd.in/dFik-2qQ Read more: lnk.to/9WTnoiFz

As part of the be.queer LGBTIQ -plus- and allies at bertelsmann network, #BMG and sister companies RTL Group, Penguin Random House, Arvato, Arvato Systems, UFA, Riverty, TERRITORY, DK and Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA were among over 250,000 participants at this years Christopher Street Day (Berliner CSD E.V.) parade in Berlin. BMG and be.queer were part of the official Pride procession on Saturday calling for increased awareness of social and political issues surrounding LGBTQIA+ people under the CSD motto, "Only strong together - for democracy and diversity" and inviting people to "ShinePride" with the be.queer network. This followed a week of activities and events at BMG's headquarters organized by BMG's be.queer team including an allyship workshop, a charity bake sale and tombola, a queer walking tour of Berlin, and celebratory events in the lead up to the official Pride demonstration. Kicking off the week, BMG CHRO Nikola Holle-Spiegel said, "As a music company, we understand the power of diverse voices and the role of music in connecting people, breaking barriers, and telling stories. We are committed to fighting for equal rights and opportunities for all. We support and stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community, renewing our commitment to creating an inclusive space for everyone beyond Pride Week. Let's celebrate and learn together, showcasing that diversity is our greatest strength. Happy Pride!" BMG CFO Mathis Wolter added, "Recognizing the importance of, and celebrating Pride is a fundamental part of the values we champion here at BMG, driving us to embrace diversity, champion equality, and ensure inclusivity in everything we do. I was very happy to see the initiative of so many members of the BMG team during the entire week and especially during the official CSD demonstration on Saturday." A full write up of the week is here: https://lnkd.in/eGek8d8e

The companies of the Bertelsmann Content Alliance are launching a joint initiative today, July 29, 2024, under the claim “My Reason for Confidence”. 💪 The aim of the initiative is to promote social cohesion. Bertelsmann's creative companies - RTL Deutschland, RTL Radio Deutschland, UFA, the Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe GmbH publishing group, the music company BMG - The New Music Company and We Are Era - are implementing the initiative with a wide range of content on their platforms and channels: On air and on social media, in digital offerings, on the radio, in podcasts and with various events. The initiative is accompanied by a broad-based marketing campaign that focuses on people from the heart of society as well as prominent faces. They are united by an optimistic view of topics such as #democracy, #diversity, #justice, #antiracism and #goodcoexistence. 🤝 Stephan Schmitter Chairman of the Bertelsmann Content Alliance and CEO RTL Germany: „(...) With our content and the accompanying campaign, we want to give a stage to topics and people that are infectious with optimism and encourage a positive outlook on the future (…).” For further information, you can also visit our landing page: https://lnkd.in/esKRzZjv

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group (Cirque du Soleil) and BMG have announced a new strategic partnership to manage Cirque du Soleil’s critically-acclaimed music catalog and explore a range of music-oriented collaborative initiatives. Under the agreement, BMG will now serve as the record label home for Cirque du Soleil’s catalog of original scores, soundtracks, and new album releases, as well as the music publishing home administering its compositions and jointly creating new songs and releases. Anne Belliveau, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, said, “The power of music has long been a force uniting cultures and peoples in Cirque du Soleil productions around the world. As music plays an integral part in our productions, we’re proud to finally dive into the music industry and explore this new avenue. Over the last few years, BMG has brought a fresh vision to the music business, and we look forward to partnering with BMG on a variety of music-related opportunities.” Marian Alexander Wolf, SVP Music Publishing North America, said, “Cirque du Soleil is one of the most innovative and creative entertainment companies in the world. We are thrilled to be the new publishing and recorded music home for Cirque du Soleil and to collaborate on upcoming new releases. This will provide unparalleled opportunities for BMG’s diverse roster of artists, songwriters, and catalogs. Together we aim to celebrate and elevate global culture by showcasing diverse music releases and transforming the way global audiences discover new music.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/exh-nzhP

🎉 Congratulations to BMG's Thomas Scherer who will be honored at the fourth annual Songwriters of North America - SONA Warrior Awards in October! Of the honoree, Billboard writes, "Scherer has been with BMG and its parent company Bertelsmann for almost three decades as an artist, songwriter, music publisher, music producer, label owner, and executive. Under his leadership, BMG has signed and re-signed writers in the U.S., among them Diane Warren, Bebe Rexha, and Lewis Capaldi, and has secured more than 50 acquisitions, among them Mötley Crüe, Paul Simon, Five Finger Death Punch, and Gucci Mane. In January, Scherer was appointed president of global catalog recordings, while retaining his responsibilities as president of music publishing in North America." Read in full: https://lnkd.in/grVWhGNr

BMG's People team in Berlin recently joined forces with sister companies Penguin Random House, Arvato, RTL Group, and We Are Era to participate in the STICKS & STONES career fair. This unique festival focuses on connecting emerging LGBTQI+ talent with inclusive, forward-thinking companies. Markus Jeroma, Director Global Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding said: "Participating in the STICKS & STONES career fair was a fantastic opportunity to connect with talented individuals in the LGBTQI+ community and it showcases our commitment to inclusivity. This is especially important for us since we've been recognized by the Pride Index as one of the most LGBTQI+ friendly employers in Germany last year. Standing out as the only music company in the entire ranking highlights our dedication to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive." ➡ Find out more: https://lnkd.in/e2c-vMhw ➡ And check out job opportunities at BMG here: https://lnkd.in/eC2g_uyZ

The Tech x BMG event, hosted by the company’s IT Product Team, marked a significant milestone in BMG's commitment to technological advancement and collaboration. The day-long event, both virtual and in-person, attracted more than 300 team members from around the world. Chief Technology Officer, Gaurav Mittal, said: “BMG's Group Technology team aims to build technology that enhances our day-to-day work. The technology day was our first step toward showcasing what we've built together, helping the entire BMG team to better understand our tech capabilities. I look forward to more such engagements in the future.” Read more about the event: https://lnkd.in/dk-RMwsK Check out some of our amazing Berlin-based Tech jobs in the comments!

Thomas Coesfeld is the newest member of the Bertelsmann Executive Board. At its meeting today, the Supervisory Board of the international media, services, and education company appointed the CEO of the BMG division to the Group Executive Board with immediate effect. Coesfeld will be responsible on the Board for Bertelsmann’s music business, which he has headed as CEO since July 2023, prior to which he served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of BMG.

Congrats to Anna Lena Bikowski, Michael Finsterwald, Mirka Katuščáková, Lise Kreider, Jason Mack, Akshay Nagpal, Jyotirmaya Patra, and Mladen Pechevski for striking third place! Safe travels to Cologne. 🚀 What an inspiring few days at the 16th annual “Talent Meets Bertelsmann (TMB)” event in Berlin! Talented students from across Europe gathered for three days of innovation and networking with teams from various Bertelsmann divisions and the international TMB alumni community.   Alongside great colleagues from across Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA, I had the pleasure of being on the jury this year and witnessing first-hand the extraordinary presentations created by the students in conjunction with our professional teams who helped guide them. Congratulations to the three winning teams - Health Care, Creator Economy and the BMG-led, Content Marketing who will be headed to the RTL offices and studios in Cologne for an immersive experience exploring the business.   Thank you to everyone who was involved in the organization and running of the entire event and to BMG’s workshop hosts Johannes von Schwarzkopf and Colin Stradinger as well as Dörte Wickenhagen who helped coach the team to success.    #TalentMeetsBertelsmann #TMB #TMB2024 #Bertelsmann #BMG