Eric Wong has been appointed President & Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Recorded Music for Warner Music Group.
Wong, who takes up the position from August 17, moves over from Island Records, where he is Chief Operating Officer (COO).
The exec will continue to be based in New York and will report to Max Lousada, Warner Music Group’s Global CEO of Recorded Music.
In the newly-created position, Wong will serve as head of worldwide marketing, working closely with Warner labels around the world on marketing strategies
He will also oversee Warner’s international A&R function, with the company aiming to “achieve close collaboration across Warner’s network of local repertoire centers”.
Max Lousada said: “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.
“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.”
“Eric will 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.”
Max Lousada, Warner Music Group
Said Eric Wong: “Max and his team have a visionary view of how artist development should work in the streaming age. 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.
“I want to thank Max for this fantastic new opportunity, and I’m looking forward to working closely with Jessica Keeley-Carter and the global team.”
WMG currently operates in over 70 countries across the globe. So far this year, the company has opened its first offices in Turkey, Vietnam, and India, and announced its investment in Africori, the largest music distributor in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Max and his team have a visionary view of how artist development should work in the streaming age.”
At UMG, he served initially as EVP of Marketing for Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJ), executing strategies for Kanye West, Rihanna, Avicii, Fall Out Boy, The Killers, Bon Jovi, and others. His responsibilities were expanded to overseeing the label group’s marketing, digital, creative, artist development, video promotion, and video production departments.
Wong was named EVP/General Manager of Island Records in 2014, leading the way in shaping a new identity for the label. In 2018, he was promoted to Island’s COO, heading operations, strategy, and marketing for the label’s entire roster, including superstars such as Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Elton John, and Jessie Reyez.
Wong first joined IDJ in 1999 after graduating from New York University. During his early years at IDJ, he developed marketing campaigns and built relationships with the label’s roster of artists.
In 2006, Wong was named to the dual posts of Chief Marketing Officer at Bad Boy Entertainment and SVP, Marketing at Atlantic Records, working closely with Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jay-Z, Janelle Monaé, and others. Before returning to IDJ in 2011, he founded Wong Management in 2009, with a roster that included Mariah Carey.Music Business Worldwide
