Sony/BMG sets out plan for growth: reshuffle sees RCA handle pop and R&B, with Columbia focusing on alternative and rock.(Labels)

Sony BMG is preparing for a period of continued growth over the coming months and years, after confirming a restructuring of its frontline record division last week.

The new structure will see RCA handling the major's pop and R&B repertoire, with Columbia focused around alternative and rock.

In confirming the long-awaited restructuring, chairman and CEO Rob Stringer said it was a logical move after organising the company around one frontline label stream after the merger of 12 months ago.

"In less than a year, we have successfully merged two large UK companies," he says. "This has been greatly the result of a huge internal effort by our staff. We now want to give our company and its phenomenal roster a greater external identity through two distinct label groups."

RCA Labels Group managing director Craig Logan and Columbia Labels Group managing director Mike Smith will both report through to music division president Ged Doherty, who says the new split has been planned ever since last year's merger. "This was always part of our strategy, but, because we had such a great year last year, we have brought it forward" he says.

But Doherty adds, "The most important thing to me is that we have put in place the first steps to continue to grow the company. Our plan is to grow the company to three divisions in three years' time, and then four divisions after that. But originally we didn't plan to do this until next year, so it could happen even quicker."

Over the coming weeks and months, further appointments and label deals will be put into place to continue the immediate expansion, says Doherty, and to grow the roster, too. "The truth is that our roster is too small, so we need to build that," he says, adding that he hopes to add an additional 10 to 12 staff through this year.