BMG and Concord Complete Merger, Unveil Unified Leadership and Strategic Council
On April 28, 2026, BMG Rights Management and Concord announced that their merger had been finalized after receiving all required regulatory approvals. The newly merged entity will operate under the BMG name, with Concord’s former chief executive officer, Bob Valentine, stepping in as CEO and former BMG chief executive Thomas Coesfeld taking the role of chair of the board.
Ownership of the new BMG is split 67 % to Bertelsmann, the German media conglomerate that originally founded BMG, and 33 % to affiliates of private‑market investor Great Mountain Partners (GMP). GMP affiliates received a one‑time cash payment of $1.16 billion as part of the transaction. The company’s global headquarters will remain in Nashville, Tennessee, while a European headquarters will be established in Berlin.
Valentine and Coesfeld unveiled an executive management team that includes Björn Bauer as chief financial officer, Sebastian Hentzschel as chief operating officer, Victor Zaraya as chief revenue officer, Amanda Multer as general counsel, and Kent Hoskings as chief transformation officer. The board is completed by Johannes von Schwarzkopf, Rolf Hellermann of Bertelsmann, Alex Thomson of GMP, and Steve Smith of Concord.
In addition to the executive team, BMG has formed an 18‑member strategic leadership council. The council comprises the six executive officers and twelve senior leaders drawn from across the company’s publishing, recorded music, theatrical, film, television, technology, operations, and corporate functions. Members include Tom Becci (global recorded operations), Alberto Chullen (corporate development and investments), Sophia Dilley (Concord Originals), Sean Flahaven (Concord Theatricals), Celine Joshua (global marketing and streaming), Nitsa Kalispera (global supply chain operations), Jon Loba (global frontline recordings), Ruth Martinez (human resources), Kristal McKanders Dube (corporate communications), Alistair Norbury (senior creative advisor to the CEO), Tom Scherer (global catalog recordings), and Jim Selby (global music publishing). The council will discuss strategy and priorities and support collaboration across BMG’s international markets.
The combined catalog now exceeds 4 million works, a figure that grew after the merger. Concord previously represented more than 125 000 artists and songwriters and held a repertoire that included plays and musical works available for licensing to Broadway, Off‑Broadway, regional, and amateur productions. Concord’s recent acquisitions include the musical adaptations of Almost Famous and Smash, as well as the Tony‑Award‑winning play Stereophonic.
The new company will offer music publishing, recorded music, theatrical rights, digital distribution, and film and television services to artists, songwriters, playwrights, and other creative partners. According to the company, the merger positions BMG to invest in creators, music rights, and artificial‑intelligence tools that can unlock new opportunities for artists and writers in a rapidly evolving industry.
Valentine said the new executive team brings “experience, judgement and focus” needed to deliver on BMG’s ambitions. Coesfeld added that the merger creates a platform “uniquely positioned in the music industry and set up for sustainable long‑term growth.” Both executives emphasized the company’s commitment to supporting artists over the long term, honoring legacy catalogs, and building the next generation of enduring music and culture.
With the merger complete, BMG will operate as a single entity under the BMG brand, integrating Concord’s publishing and recorded‑music operations while maintaining its theatrical and film‑TV divisions. The company’s next steps include finalizing internal integration plans and announcing additional leadership appointments.
