Jim Fifield

Jim Fifield was President/CEO of EMI from 1988 to 1998. 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 Thorn to Thorn EMI to redefine the business as a music business.

Jim acquired Toshiba/EMI in Japan >$400m, Sony's catalogue SBK publishing for $300m, Chrysalis for £70m, and Virgin $950m amongst dozens of other lesser known labels.

Under his stewardship 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, consolidate 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.

Whilst Jim was at the helm of EMI the company launched Janet Jackson, Salina (largest selling Hispanic artist) , Garth Brooks who sold over 100m albums, Smashing Pumpkins, MC Hammer, Nigel Kennedy, Cassandra Wilson, Sinead O'Conner, Radio Head and re-established Tina Turner as an international super star as well as acquiring the Rolling Stones repertoire and producing four of their most successful albums.

Jim built return on sales from zero to 15% and during his 10 years the company never missed an annual budget and only missed one monthly budget in the entire period.