Shake-up on Warner’s board: Max Lousada and Jon Platt in, Cameron Strang out

October 3, 2017

There’s been a big shake-up on the board of directors at Warner Music Group.

Max Lousada, Warner’s new global head of recorded music, has joined the major’s corporate top table alongside Jon Platt, the CEO/Chairman of Warner/Chappell.

However, in what’s being read as an indicative move, Cameron Strang – the current boss of Warner Bros Records – has stepped down from the board.

Strang apparently resigned from the WMG board on Sunday (October 1), amid speculation that Sony/RCA’s Tom Corson and UMG/Interscope’s Aaron Bay-Schuck are set to be unveiled as the new duo running Warner Bros in Los Angeles.

Lousada is understood to have targeted, and ultimately attracted, Corson and Bay-Schuck to leave their current roles to join Warner.

Bay-Schuck is currently President of A&R at Interscope Geffen A&M (IGA) in Los Angeles, with sources indicating that he remains in contract at the company until September next year.

Corson is COO/President of Sony’s RCA Records in New York.

UPDATE: Warner Music Group has confirmed the changes, as well as the addition of international economist Noreena Hertz to its board, which she last served from 2014 to 2016. You can see a full list of WMG board members at the bottom of this article. Three work for Warner day-to-day (Lousada, Platt and WMG CEO Steve Cooper), with five figures from WMG owner Access Industries, including founder Len Blavatnik.

Len Blavatnik, Chairman & Founder of Access Industries, said: “As the creative leaders of WMG’s two major divisions, Max and Jon are excellent additions to our Board. I am also pleased to welcome Noreena back onto the Board, joining an impressive group of experts across business, technology, entertainment and media. I, along with Steve and the other directors, would like to thank Cameron Strang for his service on the Board; we are deeply appreciative of his many contributions.”

Steve Cooper, CEO, WMG, said: “I am very pleased to welcome these three leaders to our Board of Directors. With Max now bringing his entrepreneurial vision to our entire Recorded Music operation, and Jon leading Warner/Chappell to new heights around the world, they will bring invaluable insight to our Board. I’m also delighted that we’ll once again draw on Noreena’s unique global perspective and experience, which were so welcome during her previous tenure.”

The addition of Lousada (pictured) and Platt sees the WMG board increase in size to 13 directors.

Platt has served as Chairman and CEO of Warner/Chappell Music since May 2016.

Lousada became CEO, Recorded Music, Warner Music Group, as of this month.

He will oversee all of the Company’s global recorded music operations, including Atlantic, Warner Bros., Parlophone, Warner Music Nashville, Global Catalog/Rhino and Warner Classics, as well as the Company’s international Recorded Music affiliates and WMG’s Artist & Label Services divisions, WEA and ADA.