Will Tanous is Executive Vice President of Communications at Universal Music Group, and a member of the company’s Executive Management Board.
As head of global communications at UMG, Tanous manages the company’s comms across more than 60 countries, as well as public policy, investor and government relations, special projects and events and social responsibility.
Tanous was born in Paris, France, and raised in the United States.
Will Tanous: Career at Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group
Will Tanous spent more than two decades at Warner Music Group, ultimately rising to Executive Vice President of Communications & Marketing.
During his tenure at Warner, Tanous was behind communications and business strategies for major corporate events including the 2011 sale of WMG to Len Blavatnik‘s Access Industries for $3.3 billion.
Tanous also oversaw elements of strategy for Warner Music Group’s IPO on the New York Stock Exchange in 2005, and the $2.6 billion sale of WMG by Time Warner to a private equity consortium in 2003.
In 2013, Tanous joined UMG as Executive Vice President of Communications, reporting direct to UMG’s CEO and Chairman, Sir Lucian Grainge.
Before joining Warner Music Group, Tanous held positions at Geffen Records and Warner Music International, as well as running independent labels.
Additionally, Tanous is the co-creator of the HBO series Reverb, which launched in 2016. Tanous served as producer and executive producer on the critically-acclaimed show, which aired for four seasons.
Before his career in the music industry, Tanous graduated from Georgetown University in Washington D.C.
Will Tanous: Ellis Island Medal of Honor
In May 2019, Will Tanous, a Lebanese-American, received the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor at the 34th annual ceremony on Ellis Island in New York Harbor.
The award is presented annually to US citizens “who have distinguished themselves within their own ethnic groups while exemplifying the values of the American way of life.”
Previous recipients include seven US Presidents and Nobel Prize winners.Music Business Worldwide