Warner Music Group has reached an settlement to purchase the European music and leisure merch e-tailer EMP Merchandising Handelsgesellschaft mbH (EMP) for an undisclosed sum.
The music main will purchase EMP from its present homeowners Sycamore Partners, the NYC-based personal fairness agency based mostly, in line with a press release, and, following completion, EMP will function as a stand-alone, direct-to-fan enterprise unit inside WEA, WMG’s international artist and label providers division, headed by president Tony Harlow.
EMP has “built a powerful lifestyle destination that will be a perfect complement to our global artist development and marketing strategies,” feedback Stu Bergen, CEO of International & Global Commercial Services, Recorded Music, WMG, within the assertion. “Their music-led expertise will give us great insight into what audiences love and what they want, and at the same time open up exciting new opportunities for our artists. We look forward to bringing Ernst, Jan, and everyone at EMP into WMG’s growing family of brands.”
Max Lousada, CEO of Recorded Music, WMG added, “Welcoming EMP will be our latest move to expand our relationships with influencers across the globe.”
Founded in Germany in 1986, EMP is led by CEO Ernst Trapp and CFO Jan Fischer, who will proceed to handle the unit going ahead. Currently, EMP gives merch from such bands as Twenty One Pilots, Panic! At The Disco, Metallica, Motörhead, Guns ‘n Roses, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, The Doors, and leisure powerhouses Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Harry Potter and extra. EMP’s community of internet sites serve 18 European markets.
According to WMG, the acquisition is predicted to finish within the fourth quarter, topic to assembly sure circumstances together with competitors authority approval. It’s the most recent in a raft of latest acquisitions for WMG’s recorded music enterprise, together with A&R knowledge startup Sodatone, youth media model UPROXX, digital label Spinnin’ Records and the live performance discovery platform Songkick.
