Denis Handlin, Chairman & CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Australia & New Zealand, has exited the company effective immediately.
The long-serving Sony Music executive’s departure was announced by Sony Music Group Chairman Rob Stringer in an internal email sent to staff today (June 21).
Handlin has led Sony Music Entertainment’s operations in Australia for more than 30 years.
He is also Sony Music’s longest serving employee globally, having spent more than 50 years with the company.
In the email sent by Stringer to Sony Music Australia staff on Monday (June 21), he thanks Handlin for “his extraordinary contribution to the company and its artists”.
Stringer also writes that “it is time for a change in leadership” and that he will be making further announcements regarding the Australia and New Zealand business “in due course”.
Handlin started out at the Australian Record Company (now Sony Music) in May 1970, working in the Distribution Division in Brisbane.
In 1976, he moved to Sony Music’s head office in Sydney and held a number of senior positions including National Promotions Manager, Director of Marketing and General Manager, Marketing and Sales.
Handlin was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company in 1984. In February 1996, he was appointed as Chairman, Sony Music Entertainment Australia and was also appointed to the international committee responsible for the company’s global strategy.
Following the global merger of Sony Music and Bertelsmann Media Group, Handlin was appointed in September 2004 as Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of SONY BMG Australia & New Zealand.
Following Sony Corporation acquiring Bertelsmann’s share in SONY BMG, the company was renamed to Sony Music Entertainment from January 2009.
In addition to his long career at Sony, Handlin is also the longest-serving member of the board of ARIA, global recorded music trade body IFPI’s affiliated national group in Australia.
He joined the ARIA board in 1984 and has served several terms as Chairman, a role which the NME reports Handlin has also exited.
Handlin’s departure from Sony Music Australia comes as several ex-employees of the company allege they experienced a toxic work environment during their time at the firm.
You can read Rob Stringer’s email to Sony Music staff in full below.
I am writing to let you know that Denis Handlin will be leaving Sony Music Entertainment after more than 50 years with the Company, effective immediately.
It is time for a change in leadership. And I will be making further announcements in terms of the new direction of our business in Australia and New Zealand in due course.
“I am writing to let you know that Denis Handlin will be leaving Sony Music Entertainment after more than 50 years with the Company, effective immediately.”
Rob Stringer
My team and I will be speaking further to your team leaders about this process throughout the week, but at this point I wanted to let everyone know this news at the same time.
We thank Denis for his extraordinary contribution to the company and its artists over his long career in the Australian and New Zealand music industry.Music Business Worldwide
