EMI Loses Former Google Exec After a Year

Former Google employee, Douglas Merrill has reportedly stepped down from his position at EMI records after just one year as the company’s President of Digital and COO of EMI New Music.

MediaMemo reports that Merrill’s hire in April 2008 was supposed to represent EMI’s willingness to break free from its old CD-based businesses, and a breath of fresh air. MM also says that the former CIO readily admitted that he had no background in the music business.

Merrill does not have a replacement per se. It seems EMI has opted against hiring a new executive to fill the position with Merrill’s duties being made up by several others who will take on the extra responsibilities. An internal email obtained by MediaMemo details who’ll be doing what following Merrill’s departure:

-    Cory Ondrejka is appointed to the newly-created position of Executive Vice President, Digital Marketing.
-    Nick Gatfield and Billy Mann, EMI’s Presidents of A&R Labels for North America/the UK and International respectively, will join the EMI Music Executive Committee as members of the New Music Operating Board.

Check out the full memo here.