UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 1, 2014
Warner Music Group Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 001-32502 | 13-4271875 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction or incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
| 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York | 10019 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 275-2000
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
ITEM 5.02. DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR CERTAIN OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS; APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN OFFICERS; COMPENSATORY ARRANGEMENTS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS.
On May 1, 2014, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Warner Music Group Corp. (the “Company”) was increased in size to eleven (11) directors and Dr. Mathias Döpfner, Noreena Hertz and Oliver Slipper were elected by the Company’s stockholders to fill the vacancies on the Board as a result of such increase. The new directors will hold office until the next annual general meeting of shareholders or until removed from office in accordance with the Company’s bylaws. There was no arrangement or understanding between Dr. Mathias Döpfner, Noreena Hertz and Oliver Slipper and any other person pursuant to which they were selected as directors.
Mathias Döpfner is Chairman and CEO of Axel Springer SE in Berlin. He has been with Axel Springer AG since 1998, initially as Editor-in-Chief of Die Welt and since 2000 as Member of the Management Board. During his career he has held different positions in media companies. Among others he was Editor-in-Chief of the newspapers Wochenpost and Hamburger Morgenpost. At Gruner+Jahr he was Assistant to the CEO in Hamburg and on the staff of the Head of International Business in Paris. Mr. Döpfner has also worked as author and Brussels based correspondent for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. He studied Musicology, German and Theatrical Arts in Frankfurt and Boston. He is a Member of the Board of Directors of Time Warner Inc., Member of the Board of Directors of RHJ International SA and holds several honorary offices, among others at the American Academy, the American Jewish Committee and the European Publishers Council (EPC). In 2010 he was Visiting Professor in Media at the University of Cambridge and became a member of St. John’s College.
Noreena Hertz advises some of the biggest organizations and most senior figures in the world on strategy, decision-making, corporate social responsibility and global economic and geo-political trends. Her best-selling books, Eyes Wide Open, the Silent Takeover and IOU: The Debt Threat, have been published in 20 countries. Professor Hertz served as a member of Citigroup’s Politics and Economics Global Advisory Board between 2007 and 2008 and as a member of the Advisory Group steering McKinsey CEO Dominic Barton’s Inclusive Capitalism Taskforce between 2012 and 2013. She is also a Trustee of the UK think tank IPPR. A much sought-after commentator on television and radio Hertz contributes to a wide range of publications and networks including The BBC, CNN, CNBC, CBS, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Beast, the Financial Times, the Guardian, The Washington Post, The Times of London, Wired, and Nature. She has given Keynote Speeches at TED and The World Economic Forum, as well as for leading global corporations, and has shared platforms with such luminaries as President Bill Clinton and James Wolfensohn. An influential economist on the international stage, Hertz also played a pivotal role in the development of (RED), an innovative commercial model to raise money for people with AIDS in Africa, having inspired Bono (co-founder of the project) with her writings. Professor Hertz has been described by the Observer as “one of the world’s leading young thinkers,” Vogue as “one of the world’s most inspiring women” and was featured on the cover of Newsweek’s September 30, 2013 issue in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. She has an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. Having spent 10 years at the University of Cambridge as Associate Director of the Centre for International Business and Management, in 2014 she moved to University College London where she is Honorary Professor at the Centre for the Study of Decision-Making.
Oliver Slipper was appointed to the Board of Perform Group plc in August 2007 and currently serves as Joint-CEO. Together with Simon Denyer, Joint-CEO of Perform, Mr. Slipper took the business public, achieving a listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2011, with a market capitalization of over £500 million. Previously he was the Chief Executive Officer of Premium TV until its amalgamation with Inform Group in 2007 to create Perform. Mr. Slipper joined Premium TV in 2001 as Commercial Manager. In 2005, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer. Prior to Premium TV, Mr. Slipper worked at Accenture within the Media and Entertainment team, where he worked for clients including Cable & Wireless, NTL and Sony Playstation advising on digital strategies. He holds a BA (Hons) in Classical Studies from Manchester University. He also serves on the Board of Surrey County Cricket Club and is a Patron of the Zoological Society of London.
We believe the new directors’ various experiences in the entertainment industry, advising and managing companies, among other qualifications described above, give them the qualifications and skills to serve as directors of the Company.
Related Party Transactions
There are no related party transactions reportable under Item 5.02 of Form 8-K and Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Director Compensation
Mathias Döpfner will be entitled to an annual retainer of €250,000, payable pro rata quarterly in arrears, for his service as a director on the Company’s Board. All of the new directors will be entitled to reimbursement of their fees and expenses, including fees incurred in connection with travel to meetings.
On May 2, 2014, the Company issued a press release announcing the above. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.
ITEM 9.01. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
(d) Exhibits. The following Exhibit is furnished as part of this Current Report on Form 8-K.
| Exhibit |
Description | |
| 99.1 | Press release issued by Warner Music Group Corp. on May 2, 2014. | |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| Warner Music Group Corp. | ||||||
| Date: May 2, 2014 | By: | /s/ Paul M. Robinson | ||||
| Paul M. Robinson | ||||||
| EVP and General Counsel | ||||||
EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit No. |
Description | |
| 99.1 | Press release issued by Warner Music Group Corp. on May 2, 2014. | |
Exhibit 99.1
WARNER MUSIC GROUP ELECTS THREE NEW DIRECTORS
Mathias Döpfner, Noreena Hertz, Oliver Slipper Join Company Board
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 2, 2014: Warner Music Group Corp. (WMG) today announced the election of three new directors: Mathias Döpfner, Chairman and CEO of Axel Springer SE; Noreena Hertz, noted economist, strategist, and author; and Oliver Slipper, Joint CEO of Perform Group PLC. With these appointments, the WMG Board increases from eight to 11 members.
Len Blavatnik, Chairman & Founder of Access Industries, commented: “Mathias, Noreena, and Oliver are all noted business innovators with unique global perspectives. They are strong additions to the board team and their guidance will help chart our course as the most nimble and artist-friendly music company.”
Steve Cooper, CEO of WMG, commented: “I am very pleased to welcome these three highly accomplished and knowledgeable leaders to our Board of Directors. With their combined rich backgrounds in media, entertainment, and economics, they bring us a wealth of expertise and a range of insight that will be invaluable as we continue to grow WMG and nurture the careers of songwriters and artists.”
Mathias Döpfner is Chairman and CEO of global media and publishing company Axel Springer SE, based in Berlin. He joined Axel Springer in 1998 as Editor-in-Chief of Die Welt, has been a member of the company’s management board since 2000, and was appointed CEO in 2002. Since then, he has implemented a radical digital transformation strategy which has led to digital media contributing to more than 60% of Axel Springer Group’s profits. Döpfner was previously Editor-in-Chief of the newspapers Wochenpost and Hamburger Morgenpost. He began his career as a journalist at Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and later worked on the staff of the publishing company Gruner+Jahr in both Paris and Hamburg. Döpfner studied Musicology, German, and Theatrical Arts in Frankfurt and Boston. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Time Warner Inc., a member of the Board of Directors of RHJ International SA, and holds several honorary positions, including offices at the American Academy, the American Jewish Committee, and the European Publishers Council (EPC). In 2010, Döpfner was Visiting Professor in Media at the University of Cambridge and became a member of St. John’s College. With his publications he has stirred international debates on the future of journalism and the content industry in the evolving digital landscape.
Noreena Hertz advises major organizations and global figures on strategy, decision-making, corporate social responsibility, and global economic and geo-political trends. Her best-selling books, Eyes Wide Open, The Silent Takeover, and IOU: The Debt
Threat, have been published in 20 countries. Professor Hertz has served on Citigroup’s Politics and Economics Global Advisory Board and on the Advisory Group steering the HJI Task Force for Inclusive Capitalism. She is also a Trustee of the UK think tank IPPR. A noted media commentator, she has also given keynote speeches at TED and The World Economic Forum. Hertz holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. Having spent 10 years at the University of Cambridge as Associate Director of the Centre for International Business and Management, she recently moved to University College London, where she is Honorary Professor at the Centre for the Study of Decision-Making.
Oliver Slipper was appointed to the Board of Perform Group PLC, the digital media sports company, in 2007 and currently serves as Joint CEO. He was formerly the CEO of Premium TV until its amalgamation with Inform Group to create Perform. Together with Joint CEO Simon Denyer, Slipper took Perform public, achieving a listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2011, with a market capitalization of over £500m. Slipper joined Premium TV in 2001 as Commercial Manager, launching the company’s web-TV and mobile services, and was appointed CEO in 2005. Prior to Premium TV, Slipper worked at Accenture within the Media and Entertainment team, advising on digital strategies for clients including Cable & Wireless, NTL, and Sony PlayStation. Slipper holds a BA (Hons) in Classical Studies from Manchester University.
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About Warner Music Group With its broad roster of new stars and legendary artists, Warner Music Group is home to a collection of the best-known record labels in the music industry including Asylum, Atlantic, Big Beat, East West, Elektra, Erato, Fueled by Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner, Rykodisc, Sire, Warner Bros., Warner Classics, Warner Music Nashville and Word, as well as Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world’s leading music publishers, with a catalog of more than one million copyrights worldwide.