Sony Music GSA recently experienced a leadership shakeup, with the company’s now-former boss Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba leaving the business and replaced by Christoph Behm.
A 13-year veteran of Sony Music GSA, Behm was promoted to CEO of Sony Music GSA, effective September 1, 2024, having most recently held the role of Senior Vice President of the Commercial Division for the GSA company.
Now, just a month into the new role, Behm has made sweeping changes at the business, which will see Sony Music’s GSA labels sit within three new “overarching frontline label groups”, including the Ariola Label Group, the Columbia Label Group, and the RCA Label Group.
Additionally, Sony Music GSA will now be overseen by a newly structured GSA management team.
Behm revealed the changes today (October 3) in an internal note obtained by MBW. In it, he wrote that the changes “will deliver more cross-collaboration, more sharing of creative ideas, and a more strategic approach”.
As part of the new structure, Behm announced that Sandra Caase has been promoted to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer for Sony Music Entertainment GSA.
Combining her existing role as Chief Financial Officer, Caase will now oversee day-to-day operations as well as working with Behm on the company’s business growth strategy, which he said in the note “will be an essential part of her role”.
Caase joined Sony Music Entertainment as Chief Financial Officer for GSA in April 2024, having previously held senior positions at the Bertelsmann Group.
Other changes announced by Behm as part of the new structure include the appointment of Markus Hartmann as Senior Vice President of Ariola Label Group, which will bring together Ariola, Hansa, Sony Classical, Century Media and InsideOutMusic.
Sven Schuhmann (Sony Classical) and Philipp Schulte (Century Media) will report directly to Hartmann under the new structure.
Meanwhile, Columbia Records (Germany), Four Music, and the associated joint venture labels, B1 and Two Sides, will now operate under the Columbia Label Group, led by Daniel Malat who has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Columbia Label Group.
Fred Boutahar (Two Sides) and Bastian Ständer (Columbia) will report to directly Daniel in their roles.
Elsewhere, Epic (Germany), RCA (Germany), Nitron and Gold League will now sit within a new RCA Label Group overseen by Fiete Klatt, who has been promoted to Senior Vice President of the RCA Label Group.
Both Brook Demissie (RCA & Gold League) and Katie Kirk (Epic) will report to Fiete Klatt in their roles.
Behm added in his note to staff that Arndt Seelig, Vice President of Family & Home Entertainment and his team, “have achieved almost unprecedented success and have been the undisputed market leader in the radio play sector for years”.
Seelig will also be part of the Sony Music Entertainment GSA management team and will continue to report directly to Behm.
“With this new structure, I hope to start a new exciting chapter in our company’s history here in GSA, ensuring we are best placed for the future.”
Christoph Behm
In addition, Max Goebl, Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, Julie Born, Managing Director of SME Switzerland and Martin Staudigl, Vice President of PX & Culture, form the newly formed GSA management team.
“With this new structure, I hope to start a new exciting chapter in our company’s history here in GSA, ensuring we are best placed for the future,” added Behm.
“Each team member plays a vital role in the success of our artists, and I look forward to working with you as we shape the future of Sony Music GSA together.”
Music Business Worldwide