EMI's digital chief quits

Douglas Merrill steps down as president of digital after less than a year in the job.

It's a swift exit for Merrill, who was recruited from Google, where he was CIO, in a blaze of publicity last April. He had replaced another high profile figure in Barney Wragg.

"I would like to thank Douglas for his contribution to the company and to wish him well for the future," EMI Music CEO Elio Leoni-Sceti said in a statement.

The exit will raise more questions about EMI and its new media strategy. The UK firm was, of corse, purchased by equity group Terra Firma, which has been accused of lacking music industry nous. It generally counters that the music biz could do with a bit of hard-nosed fiscal sense and should emerge from its bubble.

Either way, it seems the firm has fallen out of love with its starry recruit. Music blog Digital Music News spoke to one insider who said 'EMI was "over" Merrill, and moved to marginalize the ex-Googler prior to the official exit.'

Cory Ondrejka has been promoted to the newly-created position of executive vice president, digital marketing.