Dr Jan Fischer has been appointed Chief Executive Office of EMP, Europe’s leading online specialist music and entertainment retailers, which has been part of Warner Music Group since 2018.

He will be based in EMP’s headquarters in Lingen, Germany and report to Karl Walsh, EVP and Head of Global Commerce for Warner Music Group, who is based in Los Angeles.

Fischer has been part of the EMP team since 2013, joining as Chief Financial Officer and also acting as Chief Operating Officer since 2022.

EMP operates a network of online stores in 18 European countries serving some six million customers. It sells merchandise from globally renowned artists; major entertainment brands, such as Disney, Harry Potter, Nintendo, Marvel and PlayStation; and sporting franchises, such as the NFL; as well as products from leading fashion brands, such as Vans.

The company, which was founded in 1986, operates within Warner Music Group as a standalone company and has offices in Germany, Italy and the UK.

Fischer’s appointment as CEO follows the departure of his predecessor, Ernst Trapp, last month.

Jan Fischer says: “It’s a great honour for me to lead the remarkable team at EMP. Our sector is continuously changing and we need to ensure that we’re adapting with it to operate at the heart of the relationship between creators and fans. We’ve taken steps to upgrade our systems and reboot our teams so that EMP can remain the market leader in this fast-growing sector.”

Karl Walsh adds: “I’m delighted that Jan has agreed to step up and take on the role of CEO. He has a deep understanding of the business and the amazing team at EMP. He’s also played a key role in helping evolve the company and shares our strategy for driving future growth.”

Fischer began his career working for Deutsche Bank, before going on to take an MBA and a Doctorate in International Tax from the Catholic University of Eichstatt-Ingolstadt. He went on to work as a Senior Associate at Rödl & Partner in Atlanta, Georgia, offering consultancy services to medium-sized overseas companies operating in the US.

He returned to Germany in 2010 to work at Versandhaus Walz, a leading mail order retailer of childcare products, furniture and homeware, before joining EMP in 2013.