WONG HEADING TO WARNER MUSIC

Warner Music Group has created a new job—President & Chief Marketing Officer—and hired Island Records COO Eric Wong to do it beginning 8/17.

Based in New York, Wong will report to Max Lousada, Warner Music Group’s Global CEO of Recorded Music.

As a key member of Warner Recorded Music’s senior leadership team, he will work with the company’s labels around the world to create and drive comprehensive marketing strategies, as well as overseeing Warner’s international A&R function, which helps achieve close collaboration across Warner’s network of local repertoire centers.

“If you want to propel the global conversation around artists, you need to be able to cut through the noise with the intensity, fluidity, and creativity needed to produce superstars,” Lousada said. “I’ve known Eric since he was with Atlantic over a decade ago. He’s a bold, inventive marketer with a true fan’s sensibility, and he’s been behind a string of disruptive campaigns that have launched global careers. He’ll have a worldwide remit to drive our one-company philosophy as we grow our artist development capabilities and expand our ability to make great talent impossible to ignore.”

Wong spent nearly 10 years at Universal Music Group, initially as EVP of Marketing for Island Def Jam Music Group, executing strategies for Kanye West, Rihanna, The Killers and others. He was named EVP/General Manager of Island Records in 2014, and became COO in 2018, heading operations, strategy and marketing. Previously he was Chief Marketing Officer at Bad Boy Entertainment and SVP, Marketing at Atlantic Records.

“Max and his team have a visionary view of how artist development should work in the streaming age,” Wong said. “The Warner global roster, from local talent to international superstars, is incredible, and I’m excited to work with everyone in the U.S., UK, and around the world to create the most inventive, impactful campaigns to break and sustain artists’ careers.”