BIEM elected Thierry Desurmont to the Chair of their Management Committee

On Friday 12 June, in Washington DC, BIEM, the International Organization Representing Mechanical Rights Societies, elected Thierry Desurmont to the Chair of their Management Committee.

Thierry Desurmont is currently Vice President of the SACEM Management Board, CEO of the mechanical rights society SDRM, Chairman of the Board of SORECOP (society administering private audio copying rights).

Ms Ursula Sedlaczek, Managing Director of the Austrian society Austro-Mechana, was elected Vice Chairperson.

Thierry Desurmont said: “It is a big challenge to lead this international organisation that is so important to secure that copyright owners receive the best possible remuneration for the use of the reproduction of their works, in this period where both sales and the level of the rates are under pressure.”

BIEM is the international representative of mechanical recording rights societies, present in most countries around the world. They grant licences to operators (phonogram and videogram producers and online services, in particular) for the reproduction of musical, literary and dramatic works they need.

For further info, please contact Mr Ronald Mooij, BIEM Secretary General Ronald.mooij@biem.org, or +33155620840