Jim Fifield
Encyclopedia
James G. "Jim" Fifield was President/CEO of EMI
from 1988 to 1998.
in 1984. In 1985, he became president and chief executive of CBS/Fox Video
.
to Thorn EMI to redefine the business as a music business.
Jim acquired Toshiba/EMI in Japan >$400m, SBK Publishing for $337m (in 1989), Chrysalis for £70m, and Virgin $950m amongst dozens of other lesser known labels.
During his tenure, the company expanded into Eastern Europe and Latin America. He also guided the company through global consolidation completely reconfiguring the business to accommodate the birth of the CD, closing vinyl businesses, consolidating the cassette businesses, centralising distribution and warehousing in several countries and launching CD production operations globally.
He established international royalty accounting systems and implemented international accounting and logistics standards.
He left EMI in the spring of 1998, after he failed in a bid to become the EMI group chief executive. He was bought out of his contract for 12 million pounds, reportedly the largest corporate buyout in UK history at the time.
In 2007, he pursued a bid to purchase EMI with London based financier Sam Glover. The bid was later withdrawn.
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
from 1988 to 1998.
Background
Prior to joining EMI, Fifield became a vice president at General MillsGeneral Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...
in 1984. In 1985, he became president and chief executive of CBS/Fox Video
CBS/Fox Video
CBS/Fox Video was a home video company formed and established in 1982, as a merger between 20th Century Fox Video, formerly Magnetic Video Corporation, and CBS Video Enterprises....
.
EMI
During his tenure, EMI became the number one publishing company and the third largest music company in the world with operations in over seventy countries and sales in excess of $4 billion. Operating profits grew from $5 million in 1988 to over $550 million in 1998 disposing of ThornThorn EMI
Thorn EMI was a major British company involved in consumer electronics, music, defence and retail. Created in October 1979 when Thorn Electrical Industries merged with EMI, it was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but it demerged again in...
to Thorn EMI to redefine the business as a music business.
Jim acquired Toshiba/EMI in Japan >$400m, SBK Publishing for $337m (in 1989), Chrysalis for £70m, and Virgin $950m amongst dozens of other lesser known labels.
During his tenure, the company expanded into Eastern Europe and Latin America. He also guided the company through global consolidation completely reconfiguring the business to accommodate the birth of the CD, closing vinyl businesses, consolidating the cassette businesses, centralising distribution and warehousing in several countries and launching CD production operations globally.
He established international royalty accounting systems and implemented international accounting and logistics standards.
He left EMI in the spring of 1998, after he failed in a bid to become the EMI group chief executive. He was bought out of his contract for 12 million pounds, reportedly the largest corporate buyout in UK history at the time.
In 2007, he pursued a bid to purchase EMI with London based financier Sam Glover. The bid was later withdrawn.