Key members of PolyGram's worldwide management team are being pressed by Universal Music to commit this week to accepting posts at the merged company and to sign new contracts accordingly. They include the three presidents of PolyGram's Continental Europe, Latin America, and Far East regions, who are, respectively, Rick Dobbis, Manolo Diaz, and Norman Cheng. "It's naturally time," says an executive close to the situation, of Universal's need to firm up those specific posts. Another source claims that two of the "three wise men" are almost certain to commit but that Dobbis' decision is too close to call. He is said to be mulling a competitor's offer.

Meanwhile, Universal is confident it can retain the heads of PolyGram operating companies in major European territories, where there has been speculation about such executives as Wolf-D. Gramatke (Germany), John Kennedy (the U.K.), and Stefano Senardi (Italy).

Universal Music