Terra Firma is in talks with Elio Leoni Sceti, head of Reckitt Benckiser's business in Europe, to run EMI's struggling recorded music division, as Guy Hands' private equity group looks outside the music industry for answers to its woes.

Mr Sceti, who oversees household brands including Airwick, Finish and Veet, is said by people familiar with the situation to be one of six candidates to whom Terra Firma is talking.