-Billboard
Since Zach Katz ascended to president of repertoire and marketing at BMG U.S. in July 2016, the company has scored a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with Blink-182, made its largest label acquisition with the $103 million purchase of BBR Music Group, partnered with Facebook, signed Pitbull to a publishing agreement and made a deal with Netflix to manage the streaming outlet's music rights outside the U.S.
As Katz, 46, sits in his 16th floor office in a high-rise in the mid-Wilshire section of Los Angeles, it's clear he's just getting started. In 2016, BMG worldwide generated roughly $500 million, with 75 percent coming from its publishing division and 25 percent from recorded music. Katz vows to make that an even 50-50 split within three years. "We're buying catalogs [and] signing artists," he says. "We're going to live up to doubling this business." They're already seeing results: For the week ending Nov. 2, BMG debuted four albums to the top 10 of the Independent Albums chart, a first for the company. Additionally, on Tuesday (Nov. 7). BGM writers busbee and Nate Cyphert took home song of the year honors at BMI's Country Music Awards for writing the Florida Georgia Line smash, "H.O.L.Y."
Katz, a former lawyer and artist manager for Sean Kingston and Jason Derulo, graduated from USC and Loyola Law School, and has worked at BMG since 2012. The company re-founded in October 2008 (following its merger and subsequent sale to Sony) and quickly ramped up through $1.5 billion in acquisitions, including Vagrant and S-Curve Records, as well as deals with artists like Janet Jackson and John Fogerty. The company also has moved into books and films, with a forthcoming documentary on Joan Jett as its inaugural cinematic release.
"We want to be the sandbox filled with as many valuable toys as possible," says the Moscow-born father of two, who moved to Los Angeles at age 7. "The creative commitment is super important."
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