Know your way around computers? Want a job that includes lots of free concert tickets? The major
labels have openings and for the first time ever they are looking outside of the music industry’s own ranks for high profile tech savvy talent to head their digital initiatives.
What caused these job openings? First EMI’s long time digital guru Ted Cohen left to partner in his own consultancy TAG Strategic. EMI’s Executive VP of Strategy
and Business Development Adam Klein quickly followed. Next up was Interscope Geffen A&M digital executive Courtney Holt who grabbed the top digital post at MTV. More in the label camp are said to also be eying posts at companies who may be more stable than a struggling and consolidating music industry.
Now labels, who have always coveted star power, are trying to woo some higher profile digital l players to fill gaps in their executive suites. This is a big a shift from when digital and new media divisions were treated as step children by the majors. "They are chasing stars in the new media constellation," one source told Digital Music News, but
added that thus far there is "no one to hire" that fits the mold.
S o put on your "I Invented Web 2.0" organic cotton t-shirt, slip your digital resume and iPod filled with obscure electronica into you Wired messenger bag and hit the streets. Spun properly you could be responsible for a .47% increase in WMG stock as some Wall Street analyst tries to figure out if you know more than anyone else does about what’s going to happen next.
