SYDNEY, Australia — With a string of new leadership promotions in Australian, Southeast Asia and further afield, Warner Music is laying down what its top brass anticipates will serve as a multi-lane highway for its artist roster.
Unveiled Wednesday, Dec. 10, Warner Music Australasia and SE Asia elevate several key executives, a move designed to fulfil the music giant’s mission — to take its local artists global, and make its global artists local.
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The appointments include Alex Young’s promotion to VP domestic artists, Warner Music Australasia, a pivotal role overseeing all domestic areas including A&R, creative, and marketing, focusing on nurturing local talent, according to the company.
At the same time, Dan Ellis rises to VP, international artist strategy, WMA and SE Asia. Ellis will be integral in leading WMG’s global offering to its international artists across SE Asia and Australasia.
Young and Ellis report to Dan Rosen, president of Warner Music Australasia and SE Asia.
These changes, reads a statement, should “strengthen its domestic artist pipeline and accelerate the global export of music from the region.”
The new structure was unveiled just six weeks following Rosen’s own promotion, which saw the Sydney-based exec add duties for Warner Music’s recorded music activities across SE Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
“It’s an incredible opportunity. Southeast Asia is an incredibly dynamic region with more than 500 million people living in the region,” Rosen tells Billboard.
“Each country is different, has its own unique culture, it’s own unique music industry, but the one common thread across all of it is, it’s dynamic. It’s growing. There’s wonderful entrepreneurialism in the region and a real desire to grow.”
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Within the new structure, Young will be supported by Charlotte Kindred, who is promoted to head of domestic artist strategy, WMA, leading the day-to-day execution of domestic and export strategy.
Also, Sarah Thomas is elevated to artist relations & promotions manager Australasia export. In this newly-created role, Thomas will relocate from Sydney to New York, where she will establish new global networks and export opportunities for Australasian artists.
Ellis will be supported by Lucy Baker, who is promoted to head of PR, artist relations & wellbeing, with responsibilities for leading PR, artist relations, and radio promotional efforts for Australia and New Zealand.
Jordon Dionatos is appointed international artist strategy lead, Australasia and Lisan Yee is named as international artist strategy lead, SE Asia, based in Singapore.
Additionally, a new specialized structure will facilitate advanced digital and fan engagement with Manny Kupelian assuming the post as head of creator strategy, reporting jointly to Ellis and Young. Kupelian oversees the creator & influencer team across the region.
Finally, Mat Buck is promoted to GM streaming, social & community, while Luke Vespa is tapped as streaming & partnerships lead, reporting to Buck.
The new structure, reckons Rosen, represents a balance of agility and specialization, ensuring the music major has the know-how on the spot to seize opportunities in a region that’s home to recognized trigger markets Philippines and Indonesia, and the important English-language sources that are the lands down under.
“There’s an enormous opportunity for both our Australian and New Zealand artists, or regional artists from other parts of the APAC,” explains Rosen, “and then for our big global artists.” Southeast Asia “can be a really great catalyst” for WMA’s mission.
Australia’s music pipeline is gushing right now, as the likes of Amyl and The Sniffers, Dom Dolla, Ninajirachi, Confidence Man, Royel Otis and many others cross borders, and enjoy “global” status.
WMA’s domestic roster includes Boy Soda, who collected his first ARIA Award last month, and Kita Alexander, who performed at the recording industry’s flagship ceremony.
“It’s exciting that there is so much talent coming out of Australia and New Zealand again,” enthuses Rosen. “There’s a new generation of artists that are ‘born global’. From day one, they understand the global platform world that we live in, but still understand that they’ve got to be great live acts, build fans, be authentic, and be great storytellers. I think we’re on the precipice of this next wave of Aussie and Kiwi artists on the world.”
