EMI Revamps Management Structure at Virgin Records

British music giant EMI Group restructured its U.S. sector Friday, ousting the heads of its stagnant Virgin Records division and announcing a plan to move the label’s headquarters this year from Beverly Hills to New York.

The shake-up comes barely a week after EMI dumped Virgin star Mariah Carey and signals the end of an era at Virgin--a decade dominated by Virgin honcho Nancy Berry, who was fired in November along with her former husband and boss, Ken Berry.

U.S. Virgin executives Ray Cooper and Ashley Newton will be replaced by pop producer Matt Serletic, who has scored recent hits for such acts as Matchbox 20, Carlos Santana, Aerosmith and Celine Dion. Virgin’s new chairman, Serletic, who has not run a major label, will be teamed with EMI executive Roy Lott, whose new title will be president and chief operating officer.

On Friday, EMI music chief Alain Levy also promoted David Munns to chairman of the British music giant’s North America sector. Andy Slater will retain his title as president of EMI’s other top label, Hollywood-based Capitol Records.

Chuck Philips