Moran Takes BMG Hot Seat

At a time when the company is being talked of as a likely bidder for Warner Music, EMI and any other major music company that happens to come up for sale, BMG Rights Management has appointed Steven Moran as chief ops officer.

He joins BMG after spending more than a decade at Bertlesmann, which owns the company in a joint-venture with U.S. private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts. He was an executive in human resources, corporate development, technology, sales and marketing.

He left the company in 2005 to join the European startup team for iTunes, managing its development in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. He returned in 2007.

“Being part of taking this organization yet another step closer to realizing its vision will be a formidable challenge and great fun at the same time,” he said.

Moran will be based in the company’s Berlin HQ, where he will oversee the rights administration group, the company’s worldwide integration and technology operations, and be responsible for the human resources function.

The announcement was made by BMG chief Hartwig Masuch and chairman Thomas Rabe.