Seagram Will Retain Key PolyGram Execs

Moving to stabilize its presence in the global music market, Seagram Co.’s Universal Music Group has secured the services of several key international record executives at PolyGram, the music giant with which it is expected to merge in late November. This week, Universal signed up Norman Cheng, John Kennedy and Pascal Negre, top executives at PolyGram units in Asia, France and Britain. France chief Alain Rebillard and Latin America chief Manolo Diaz are also expected to sign on in the weeks ahead. Rick Dobbis, head of PolyGram’s Europe division, has decided to leave the company after the merger is concluded.