Warner Music Group has appointed YouTube’s head of business, Robert Kyncl as its next CEO.
According to the label, Kyncl will succeed current chief executive Stephen Cooper on January 1, 2023.
Kyncl and Cooper will serve as co-CEOs for the month of January 2023. As of February 1, 2023, Kyncl will become the sole CEO of WMG and assume Cooper’s board seat on WMG’s Board of Directors.
Cooper had essentially been waiting for a replacement to be found, and January 2023 will be spend ensuring a smooth transition.
Before he was chief business officer of YouTube, Kyncl led Netflix from DVDs to digital.
While Warner Music Group is publicly traded, it is controlled by Access Industries, owned by billionaire Len Blavatnik.
Cooper is the longest-running CEO in WMG’s history, having been appointed in August 2011 after the purchase of the company by Access Industries.
“Robert is the right CEO to meet this moment,” Blavatnik said in a statement. “His command of technology to serve creativity will unlock new opportunities at scale for artists, songwriters, and their teams. He sees over the horizon to find ways to make world-class entertainment accessible for all.”
“Music is an incredible creative force, with an unmatched ability to bring emotions, build communities, and propel change,” added Kyncl. “We’re just at the beginning of what’s possible in recognizing music’s true power, value, and reach.”
Warner is the third-largest major music group, after Universal and Sony, Warner Music-owned labels include Atlantic — which is the most consistently successful major label in the business — Elektra and its flagship Warner Records, along with the third-largest music publisher, Warner Chappell Music. Its top current acts include Ed Sheeran, Lizzo, Dua Lipa, and others.
