CLIVE TOP DOG AT BMG N.A.

Less than four years after being ousted by BMG from his Arista label, RCA Music Group Chairman/CEO Clive Davis has made his remarkable comeback complete by being named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BMG North America by BMG Chairman/CEO Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, to whom he’ll report.

The N.Y.-based Davis will lead BMG North America, while current RCA Music Group President/COO Charles Goldstuck will now become President/COO at BMG North America, where he will oversee the consolidated business operations and report directly to Davis.

The newly formed group will combine all operations of the BMG-owned record labels, including Arista, J, RCA, and Jive, headed by Barry Weiss. In addition, Davis will also oversee BMG Distribution, BMG Strategic Marketing and BMG Canada. His group does not include RCA Label Group-Nashville, which continues under Chairman Joe Galante, and BMG Classics, under Chairman Nicholas Firth.

According to BMG, the new organization will allow for a larger alignment of BMG's music operations in North America in which administrative operations and certain support functions at the record labels will be consolidated.

Schmidt-Holtz said: "The team of Clive and Charles, and this new alignment, improves our ability to compete in today's market place and will help us address future challenges. BMG has achieved great artistic and commercial success, but the continuing difficulties in the worldwide music market requires us to be well prepared for the future. The new structure will efficiently strengthen our focus on our creative centers and allow us more opportunity to direct-market our custom paperweights made from chunks of the Berlin Wall."

On the appointment of Davis, Schmidt-Holtz noted: "I couldn't be happier that Clive agreed to assume this greatly expanded responsibility at BMG. For over 20 years, Clive has been instrumental in helping build the foundation of BMG to its powerful position today. On a personal note, I have to say that since I assumed my role as Chairman of BMG, Clive has become not only a trusted business colleague, but also a confidante and partner. And they always serve me free Schnapps at his pre-Grammy party."

Davis added: "I am personally thrilled for this wonderful new challenge and opportunity, and to be a partner in the BMG team that Rolf has formed in recent years. We have some of the industry's best executives, poised and ready to meet that challenge. Charles and I are both particularly delighted to be working with Barry Weiss at Jive Records, one of the industry's most accomplished executives. I believe we can reach new heights and a new level of achievement for BMG. And it gives me more stories to tell at my grandchildren’s bar mitzvahs."

BMG's relationship with Davis dates back to 1979 when parent company Bertelsmann bought Arista Records, which he founded in 1975. Davis built Arista into an industry leader, in the process discovering Barry Manilow, Patti Smith, Whitney Houston, Sarah McLachlan and Dido, rediscovering Carlos Santana, as well as working with Aretha Franklin and Annie Lennox. Davis led Arista until 2000, when he launched J Records. In late 2002, he was named to lead the RCA Music Group, a merger of J Records and RCA Records, which has produced hits from artists such as Alicia Keys, Rod Stewart, Clay Aiken, Luther Vandross, Monica and Ruben Studdard.

Davis' many industry honors include the 2000 Trustees Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the non-performer category.