THE ELIO ERA BEGINS AT EMI

Guy Hands has named the CEO of EMI’s recorded muci operation, and it is indeed Elio Leoni-Sceti, whose track record includes roach killer Mortein, stain remover Vanish and pain reliever Nurofen, but nothing involving guitars and drums or verses and choruses.

The Times of London, which broke the story about Hands’ courtship of the Italian-born, London-based marketing exec on June 30, ran its story about Leoni-Sceti’s hiring under the headline, “EMI appoints music boss with no industry experience.” The new boss spent the past 16 years at Reckitt Benckiser.

Leoni-Sceti arrives just a week before Nick Gatfield, who’ll take the key creative post as President of A&R Labels U.K. and North America, while becoming the recorded music counterpart of EMI Music Publishing CEO Roger Faxon.

The appointment comes just three days after the ouster of international head Jean-Francois Cecillon (see Rumor Mill item), and amid the positive vibes generated by Coldplay's hot-selling Viva La Vida and the U.S. #1 single from newcomer Katy Perry.

Said Hands said: "Elio has the passion, drive and belief in the future of the music industry to realize the ambitions we all have for EMI. Having completed the organizational restructuring at the end of June and finalized our strategic work, Elio joins at the right time to shape, drive and lead EMI to become the world’s most artist-focused and consumer-friendly music company."

Added Leoni-Sceti, uttering his first words as a record executive: “The potential that can be realized in this industry is massive, music consumption is growing more than ever across the world and I cannot wait to get started and to working with EMI’s artists and employees.”

In making the announcement today, Hands revealed that he’ll become non-executive Chairman and promised to step back from the day-to-day management of EMI. We’re gonna miss those mass emails that came to define his executive style.