Apple Music has seen its first major internal change after Oliver Schusser was named the new head of the service last month with the creation of a new music publishing division.
As reported by Music Business Worldwide, Apple has promoted Elena Segal from her role as Legal Director of iTunes International to be Apple Music’s Global Director of Music Publishing.
It is believed that Segal will split her time between LA and London as she oversees four new sub-divisions of Apple Music’s music publishing: operations, commercial, publisher relations, and A&R.
An unnamed source shared more details with Music Business Worldwide on Oliver Schusser’s perspective on the new division:
Oliver is well aware that much of the most important artist discovery happening in the music industry today comes from the publishing side of the business.
Oliver wants to underline the importance of publishing and songwriters to Apple. That’s what this move is all about.
Rolling Stone reports that the new structure could yield positive developments in any number of ways, including making it easier to make licensing deals with artists, grooming songwriters internally, or even starting its own record label.
Source: 9to5mac