Rob Wiesenthal Named President, International of Sony/ATV Music Publishing

NEW YORK, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony/ATV Music Publishing announced today that Robert S. Wiesenthal has been named President, International. Mr. Wiesenthal will join the company in this newly formed role on June 27, 2012 and will be based in New York, reporting to Martin Bandier, Chairman & CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Sony/ATV Music Publishing is a joint venture between Sony Corporation and the Estate of Michael Jackson.

As President of International, Mr. Wiesenthal will be chiefly responsible for oversight of all territories worldwide excluding North America and the UK. He will work closely with the heads of the various territories to develop, promote and implement the strategic goals of the company.

Mr. Wiesenthal will also play a key role in the future integration of EMI Music Publishing's international operations, which is subject to regulatory approval. As was announced in November 2011, an investor group that includes Sony Corporation of America, in conjunction with the Estate of Michael Jackson; Mubadala Development Company PJSC; Jynwel Capital Limited; the Blackstone Group's GSO Capital Partners LP; and David Geffen signed an agreement to acquire EMI Music Publishing. Subject to regulatory approval, Sony/ATV Music Publishing will help oversee EMI Music Publishing. Mr. Wiesenthal played an instrumental role in the proposed acquisition by assembling the group of investors and helping to secure the necessary financing.

In addition, Mr. Wiesenthal will become part of Sony/ATV's senior executive management team and will thus advise Mr. Bandier on new business initiatives, strategic partnerships and other potential opportunities to enhance Sony/ATV's business operations.

"I am happy that Rob has accepted my invitation to join the Sony/ATV team at this important time," said Martin Bandier, Chairman & CEO, Sony/ATV Music Publishing. "Rob's job experiences have provided him with a distinct business perspective that I know will be helpful to us in his new role. As the music publishing industry continues to evolve to meet the demands of a digital world, Rob will assist Sony/ATV's international businesses to meet these challenges head-on. I am excited to welcome him to the company and very much look forward to working with him for years to come."

"With his insights into how to use content to make devices come alive and through numerous business initiatives across our operating divisions, Rob helped us as we moved from the analog to the digital world," said Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President of Sony Corporation. "Rob's business acumen has always played a crucial role in our corporate efforts to grow the various operating companies, most recently with the proposed acquisition of EMI Music Publishing by Sony and our partners.  I am pleased he has agreed to join the successful team at Sony/ATV."

For the past 12 years, Mr. Wiesenthal has held various positions at Sony, most recently as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Sony Corporation of America. 

During his Sony career, Mr. Wiesenthal has overseen M&A activities, strategy and corporate development. In 2008, he led an effort to enable Sony to be the first company ever to transmit feature films directly to Internet-connected televisions outside conventional cable and satellite distributors.

In 2010, Mr. Wiesenthal helped create a joint venture bringing together the largest players in 3D to create the world's first 24-hour 3D network. The network, 3NET, launched on DirecTV in 2011 as a partnership between Sony, Discovery Communications and IMAX. Today, 3NET has the largest collection of 3D television content in the world. The initiative leverages Sony's combined strength in 3D capture, 3D televisions and 3D content.

Prior to joining Sony in 2000, Mr. Wiesenthal was Managing Director of Credit Suisse First Boston (or CSFB) where he headed its entertainment practice and digital media efforts. During this time, he was a strategic advisor to Sony Corporation of America.

ABOUT SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING
Sony/ATV Music Publishing was established in 1995 as a joint venture between Sony and trusts formed by Michael Jackson. Sony/ATV Music Publishing owns or administers over 750,000 copyrights by such artists as The Beatles, Brooks & Dunn, Leonard Cohen, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Fall Out Boy, Lady Gaga, Kraftwerk, Jessie J, John Mayer, Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, Linda Perry, Richie Sambora, Shakira, Taylor Swift, Wyclef Jean, Hank Williams and KT Tunstall, among others.

SOURCE Sony/ATV Music Publishing