Monti Olson Rejoins BMG to Lead Music Publishing in North America

BMG has appointed Monti Olson to lead its music publishing operations as executive vice president of publishing, North America, marking his return to the company after previously serving from 2018 to 2022. “It’s good to be home!” he said in the Berlin-based company’s announcement.

In his new role, Olson will lead BMG’s publishing A&R and creative administration teams, oversee new signings and catalog acquisitions, guide growth strategies across Los Angeles, Nashville and New York, and serve on the company’s Global Strategy Committee.

The company said he’ll initially report to Thomas Scherer, president of global catalog recordings and music publishing for North America, and later to CEO Thomas Coesfeld.

Most recently, Olson was president and founding partner of three-year-old rights-buying venture Litmus Music, where he led major deals with artists like Katy Perry, Randy Newman and Keith Urban. Before joining Litmus, Olson spent his initial stretch at BMG overseeing U.S. music publishing, where he led the expansion of frontline publishing operations, drove business development, and played a key role in strategic catalog acquisitions.

With over two decades of industry experience, Olson has also held senior roles at Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Bros. Records, peermusic and MCA Records.

“Monti’s return to BMG reflects our commitment to being the most effective, songwriter-first partner in music publishing,” said Scherer. “His proven leadership, deep creative network, and experience in both frontline publishing and high-profile catalog acquisitions will be invaluable as we continue to scale the future of our business.” 

Coesfeld added that Olson’s return “comes at a pivotal moment for both our company and the industry at-large, and his leadership will be central to driving our publishing strategy. With his expertise and passion for songwriters, we are confident Monti will play a transformative role in helping shape the next phase of growth for BMG.”