Warner Chappell Music has appointed Santiago Menendez-Pidal as president, Southern Europe, effective October 1.
He will continue to be based in Madrid and report to Guy Moot, co-chair and CEO of Warner Chappell Music.
In this new role, Menendez-Pidal will continue to run WCM Spain, but will also oversee the publisher’s operations in Italy. Roberto Razzini, the MD of WCM Italy, stepped down from his role at the end of August.
In addition, Menendez-Pidal will work with WCM’s local consultants in Greece to expand its presence there, and collaborate with WCM’s team in Paris.
Santiago Menendez-Pidal said: “It’s a huge honour to be asked to step into this new role. Our local teams have been doing such great work in discovering, nurturing and supporting our writers, and I can’t wait to help them do even more to break talent across borders and champion our brilliant roster. I also want to pay tribute to Roberto Razzini, who has been an amazing friend and colleague over the years.”
Guy Moot and Carianne Marshall, co-chairs of Warner Chappell Music, said: “We’re so excited that Santi has agreed to accept this new challenge. He’s a brilliant exec and music man who truly connects with songwriters and knows how to move the needle for them creatively and commercially. We think that connecting our businesses across Southern Europe even more will lead to synergies that’ll benefit our writers throughout the region.
“And we want to pay tribute to Roberto Razzini. He was a stalwart leader for Warner Chappell Music Italy over many years, building and maintaining an amazing business and supporting writers from all different genres and backgrounds. We wish him well in his next adventures!”
Menendez-Pidal joined Warner Chappell Music in 2017, when he was appointed as MD of WCM Spain. He works with some of Spain’s leading songwriters, including Pablo Alboran, Alizzz, Jorge Drexler, El Guincho, Dani Martin, Vanesa Martin, Melendi and Joaquin Sabina.
He started his career at BMG Music in 1992, before working for the first time at WCM Spain and then taking up roles at EMI Music Publishing in Spain and Australia. He went on to serve as A&R director of Sony Music Spain, where he signed artists including Dvicio, Ana Mena, Melendi, C Tangana, Rozalen, and Andres Suarez.
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