Martin N. Bandier is CEO of Sony / ATV Music Publishing LLC. He has been a leader of the industry for over 40 years and used his aggressive bidding strategy to obtain some of the most valuable music in the world. He is known for the modernisation of the music publishing business through means of the commercial use of tracks.
It was in the 1970’s, after training as a lawyer, that Martin started his career in the publishing sector of the music industry and in 1975 he co-founded the Entertainment Television Company and the Entertainment Music Company. In 1986, alongside the same partners, Martin created SBK after buying the CBS songs catalogue for $125 million. It was a move which paid off as just two years later the company sold the catalogue for $340 million. Martin has been praised for marketing songs, seizing opportunities to elevate music to the top and purchasing music catalogues in a strategic manner. In the 17 years after 1986 Martin used such strategies to ensure that EMI Publishing became the leader of its industry. In 1989 Martin became part of EMI Publishing, when he took on the role of Vice Chairman, just two years later he became Co-CEO of EMI Music Publishing. He became Chairman of the company in 1998, a position which he held until 2006. Martin was known for revamping the music publishing business through means of using music in commercials, and at every opportunity in order to make the most of the royalty rights and therefore make each track as profitable as is possible. Though today this is a well-used method of profiting from music rights, when Martin first starting sorting after new ways to use his catalogues he was one of the first in his fields to do so. But in 2006 and with senior management feuds having proved the final decider in Martin’s career, he left the company stating that it was just one fiasco after another. This, though, had not quashed his love of the music business and Martin began looking for his next big venture.
In April 2007 at the age of 64 Marin became CEO of Sony / ATV Music Publishing LLC. Martin wasted no time in using his aggressive bidding strategy in order to obtain many a precious piece of music. His bank of music includes greats such as Elvis’ “Hound Dog” and “Jailhouse Rock” which he oversaw the exchange of within the Leiber Stoller catalogue and Paramount film soundtracks such as “The Godfather”, “Mission Impossible” and “Braveheart” soundtrack swhich he obtained for in the Viacom catalogue for $350 million in 2008. The catalogue held over 125,000 of the most valuable songs in the world.
Between October 2006 and December 2008 Martin was Director of GateHouse Media. He is also a Director of the BMI Foundation, the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame, the National Music Publishers’ Association, the Syracuse University Board of Trustees and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Martin is also affiliated with a number of other music orientated companies; he is Head of Music Publishing Division Sony / ATV, he acts as Director of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and he serves as a Director of the Publishers’ Board of American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
In March 2012 Martin signed a long term contract to remain CEO of Sony / ATV. Over the past five years, with Martin as CEO, the company has grown greatly and the signing of this contract means that Martin will be in place with the company for many a year to come.
Latest from Martin
In 2012 with Martin as CEO Sony took an ownership stake in EMI Music Publishing, meaning that Martin once again reunited with his former company. In July 2012 Martin began making cuts to the business and off laying 326 staff over the following two years on order to save $70 million in net cost. He started plans for his North American Executive Team which consisted of many a former employee. Currently there is one staff which oversees the (former) two businesses music profiles.
Away from work
Martin originally trained as a lawyer, but always has had a passion for music which was ultimately why he went into the music publishing business.
This bio was originally commissioned by Word of CEOs: http://www.worldofceos.com
Charlotte Eliza Writes 