Jeff Gold Among Exec Departures At Warner Bros.

The changes at Warner Bros. and Reprise that many predicted would take place after Phil Quartararo settled into his new role as president of Warner Bros. Records Inc. are becoming a reality.
On Jan. 7, the company announced that Warner Bros. Records executive VP/GM (U.S.) Jeff Gold will be leaving the label (Billboard Bulletin, Jan. 8).
Gold, Warner Bros. Records Inc. chairman/CEO (U.S.) Russ Thyret, Quartararo, and Warner Bros. Records president (U.S.) Steven Baker 'mutually arrived at the decision,' according to Warner Bros. Records Inc. spokesman Bob Merlis.
Thyret, Baker, and Quartararo were not available for comment by press time.
Gold was offered the possibility of a different role at the company but declined, Merlis says. At press time, Gold's last day at Warner Bros. had not been determined. Merlis adds that the executive will continue to be available as a resource on some ongoing projects, such as Paula Cole's Grammy-nominated 'This Fire' and Loreena McKennitt's breakout 'The Book Of Secrets.' Warner Bros. has no immediate plans to replace Gold, Merlis says.
'I loved my years at Warner Bros. Everyone has been great to me, but now, after 17 years of running full-bore (eight of them at Warner Bros.), I'm going to take some time off to spend with my family,' Gold tells Billboard.
According to a source, Gold has two years remaining on his contract. Gold was upped to the post of executive VP/GM in early 1995 by Baker after an executive shuffle that saw the exit of Warner Bros. Records Inc. chairman/CEO Mo Ostin and president Lenny Waronker.
During his tenure at Warner Bros., Gold was instrumental in hit projects by John Fogerty, R.E.M., and others.
On the day following Gold's announced departure, Warner Bros. confirmed that New York-based A&R executives Michael Hill and Paul Heck will also be leaving the label. Merlis says there are no immediate plans to replace them (Billboard Bulletin, Jan. 9).
The moves follow the exit of two promotion executives at Warner Bros. and one at Reprise.
Greg Lee, a 16-year veteran with Warner Bros., was let go Jan. 5 (Billboard Bulletin, Jan. 6). Prior to the holiday break, Warner Bros. VP of promotion Kenny Puvogel left after 20 years at the record company, and Reprise VP of promotion Marc Ratner also has departed (Billboard Bulletin, Jan. 5).
The departures from Warner Bros. and Reprise have fueled talk that the two labels will be consolidated. However, Merlis says, such talk 'is just speculation.' Warner Bros. and Reprise became full-service labels in the spring of 1995, when Danny Goldberg was chairman/CEO of Warner Bros. Records Inc.

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