Edgar Miles Bronfman, Jr. (born May 16, 1955) is an American businessman who served as CEO of Warner Music Group 2004 to 2011 and as Chairman from 2011 to 2012. In May, 2011, the sale of WMG was announced; Bronfman would continue as CEO in the transaction. In August 2011, he became Chairman of the company as Stephen Cooper became CEO.
Bronfman previously served as CEO of Seagram and vice-chairman of Vivendi Universal. He is the son of Edgar Miles Bronfman and the grandson of Samuel Bronfman, patriarch of one of the wealthiest and most influential Jewish families in Canada.
The Bronfman family gained its fortunes through the Seagram Company, an alcohol distilling company, but Edgar Jr. ("Efer" to friends) has gained his reputation by expanding and later divesting ownership of the Seagram Company, as well as for pursuing more creative activities as a Broadway and film producer and songwriter.
His controversial decision to sell his family stake in DuPont Chemical in order to create the Vivendi Universal entertainment company which turned out to be short-lived, was a source of widespread astonishment in the business community.
In 1979. Bronfman married his first wife, Sherry Brewer, an African-American actress, in New Orleans. Bronfman's father did not approve of the marriage. "I very much wanted for him to end the relationship, because I told him, all marriages are difficult enough without the added stress of totally different backgrounds", Bronfman Sr. wrote in his memoirs. "Sherry offered to convert [to Judaism], which though well intentioned, was not the point."
Bronfman and Brewer eloped and he and his father remained estranged.
The couple had three children before they divorced in 1991:
Benjamin – Bronfman's eldest son with Sherry is also known as "Ben Brewer", a rock musician. Brewer was the guitar player and vocalist for the New York-based alternative rock band The Exit. He also was engaged to Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, a British recording artist, songwriter, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of electronica, dance, alternative, hip hop and world music. She is better known under the stage name of M.I.A. They have a son, Ikhyd Edgar Arular Bronfman, born on 11 February 2009.
Vanessa and
Hannah
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