Universal’s new-look digital team adds ex-Warner exec Jonathan Dworkin

Universal Music Group has appointed Jonathan Dworkin as Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy and Business Development, effective May 16.

Dworkin brings more than two decades of music industry experience to the role, including a stint at Warner Music Group from 2013-2015.

Most recently, he was Chief Marketing Officer of MixRadio, where he oversaw execution in its 31 markets, global marketing and business development before the service was shuttered in February.

Dworkin will be based at UMG’s headquarters in Santa Monica and report into his former Warner colleague Michael Nash, Executive Vice President of Digital Strategy at Universal.

Dworkin is the latest addition to Nash’s team, following the appointment of Gracenote co-founder Ty Roberts as Chief Technology Officer in April.

Universal’s former global digital team, led by Rob Wells before his exit early last year, has now been completely dismantled following the departure of Francis Keeling last month.

Dworkin will have specific responsibility for overseeing integration of Universal Music’s digital strategy throughout its international organization.

“At Universal Music, we’re focused on expanding and enhancing the digital business on a global basis, to open up as many creative and commercial opportunities as possible for our artists and labels,” Nash said.

“With Jonathan, we’re adding an executive with tremendous experience working with both established and developing music services in markets around the world.

“Jonathan is one of the top business development executives in the business.”

Michael Nash, UMG

“Jonathan is one of the top business development executives in the business and I’m thrilled he is joining our team at Universal Music.”

Added Dworkin, “Universal Music is home to so many amazing artists who have created legendary music, and it’s an honor to assume responsibility for helping open up new opportunities for them in the digital space and empower and advance the next wave of technology for music fans.”

Before MixRadio, Dworkin led digital strategy and business development for Warner Music Group.

In this role, he ran the global team responsible for all partner negotiations, including Apple, Google/YouTube, and Spotify, and helped prime Warner Music for the broader transition to streaming – a format which is now bringing around $2m through the doors of WMG every day.

Dworkin led the acquisition of Topsify to establish Warner Music’s playlisting strategy and negotiated the industry’s first major-label deal with Soundcloud.

Dworkin joined Warner Music from Nokia, where he was Global Head of Business Affairs and Strategy in the entertainment division. Dworkin was instrumental in growing Nokia’s music services, including Nokia Music Stores, Comes with Music and Mix Radio, across 38 countries.

In 2004, he helped launch US operations for Lagardere SCA’s mobile division, creating original content brands BlingTones and BarrioMobile.

Prior to that, Dworkin launched Brick House Music, an artist management company, where he worked with luminary producers like J Dilla, Pete Rock, and Grammy-award winning duo, GoodandEvil.Music Business Worldwide