Italian major labels representative body FIMI has confirmed Enzo Mazza as president and named its new executive committee, following a May 22 assembly in Milan.
Universal Music Italy CFO Corrado Filpa has been appointed vice president. The body’s executive committee members include major label bosses Massimo Giuliano (Warner Music Italy), Rudy Zerbi (Sony BMG Italy) and Beppe Ciaraldi (EMI Music Italy), as well as Mario Allione of FMA, on behalf of the smaller labels who have remained with FIMI, plus Mazza’s predecessor as FIMI president, Alberto Pojaghi.
Mazza, who was secretary general of FIMI prior to becoming president, has certainly had to face a challenging period in Italian recording history. He became president in 2005, the same year that most of FIMI’s indie members split to form a new organization, PMI. The exodus was led by PMI’s current president, Mario Limongelli, who was a FIMI vice president.
Last year, Mazza announced that FIMI was to leave umbrella lobby organization, the Music Round Table, which had been formed to negotiate music industry-friendly legislation with the Italian government and parliament, following a spat with another indie representative body, Audiocoop. The action came after Audiocoop’s president Giordano Sangiorgi described the majors as “globalized multi-nationals.” FIMI’s departure did not, however, affect the industry’s discussions with the government and parliament, which continued.
Mazza, who is also president of the country’s anti-piracy organization FPM, has also negotiated FIMI’s entry into the country’s principal trade and industry organization, Confindustria.
