Rob Stringer, Chairman, Sony Music Group, has received the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) honour by Queen Elizabeth II.
British exec Stringer receives his CBE for services to UK creative industries, to social justice and to charity.
Summing up Stringer’s achievements, the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office writes: “Rob Stringer is recognised for an exceptional and sustained contribution to the British music business as well as charity causes and tackling discrimination.
“A transformational figure in the British music business for over four decades, having worked his way through the ranks at Sony, he has nurtured exceptional talent, consistently championed British artists and the British creative industries across the globe and worked tirelessly to support artists from diverse backgrounds.
“His recent initiative to tackle racism and social injustice with a £75 million [USD $100m] Sony Music fund, which has directly benefitted UK charities working to foster equal rights and help address structural inequality, is recognised as an industry leading model.”
Stringer is one of a handful of music industry figures awarded in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours 2022.
Others on the list include lyricist Bernie Taupin (CBE, awarded for exceptional services to music) and Spice Girl, Melanie Brown (MBE, awarded for services to charitable causes and vulnerable women).
The Queen’s New Year’s honours are only given out once a year to people across a range of sectors.
As Chairman of Sony Music Group, Rob Stringer heads up the parent company of both Sony Music Publishing – the world’s largest music publishing company – and Sony Music Entertainment (SME), the world’s second largest recorded music company. (Stringer is additionally CEO of SME.)
Stringer also serves as an Officer of Sony Corp. as the Senior Executive in charge of the Music Business.
In 2021, Stringer implemented two programs – Artists and Songwriters Forward – that saw Sony take the unprecedented move of disregarding unrecouped balances for thousands of heritage artists and songwriters on its books.
These programs also prioritize health and wellness support for creators around the world.
In 2020, Stringer was instrumental in the launch of Sony Corp’s USD $100 million Social Justice Fund to support social justice and anti-racist initiatives around the world.
Born at Royal Air Force Halton, Stringer grew up in Aylesbury, UK and attended Goldsmiths College, University of London where he gained a BA Honours in Sociology in 1984 and was awarded an honorary fellowship in 2010.
The announcement of Stringer’s CBE comes weeks before the Sony Music boss is due to receive another major honour – the 2022 Grammy Salute To Industry Icons award – in Los Angeles.
Stringer is the second modern global major music company leader to be honoured by the Queen: In 2016, Universal Music Group Chairman & CEO, Sir Lucian Grainge, was Knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.Music Business Worldwide