MUMBAI: WEA Corp., the US sales and retail marketing company of Warner Music Group Corp has promoted Mike Jbara to president and CEO.
Jbara succeeds John Esposito, who has been named president, Warner Music Nashville, a new division tasked with expanding WMG’s presence in the Nashville music community.
Based in New York, Jbara will report to Recorded Music senior vice president, office of the chairman & CEO – the Americas and the UK Roger Gold. In his new role at WEA, Jbara will be responsible for setting the company’s overall strategic direction and continue to oversee WEA’s day-to-day operations, including retail sales, direct-to-consumer sales, production and distribution, merchandise sales, interactive marketing and worldwide digital distribution.
Said Gold, "Over the years Mike has proven himself not only as an effective operator but also an innovator who understands new business models and who has played a key leadership role in defining those models and applying the new technologies that make them possible. In running WEA’s day-to-day business for the past five years, he has also shown that he knows how to position a music company to best take advantage of opportunities presented by new business models and technologies and, as a result, WEA’s role as a sales and marketing division has evolved significantly. To have a chief executive who understands the rapidly changing role of a music company in today’s environment is a terrific asset for WEA and we are happy to have Mike here to lead the company going forward."
"It is an honor to be given the reigns at WEA at this exciting and challenging time. In my 13 years as an executive here I have seen first-hand the professionalism that this team brings to every deal and every project. They have a commercial skill set and creative approach that our label partners and their artists have grown to expect and appreciate, and are without question the best in the business, which will make fulfilling my new responsibilities that much more rewarding. I am proud to have this opportunity to lead WEA into its next chapter. I want to thank Espo for not only being a great boss and mentor, but for his invaluable friendship. I look forward to working with him in his new role at Warner Music Nashville," said Jbara.
Jbara joined the company in 1996 as vice president, production operations where he led the day-to-day production operations on behalf of WMG’s family of labels.
