NEW
YORK, Oct. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Warner Music
Group (Nasdaq: WMG) announced today that Carletta Higginson has joined the company as
Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Officer, effective
October 16. An accomplished media
executive and music rights expert, Higginson joins WMG after a
decade at Google, where she worked in business development and
legal roles, across both music publishing and recorded music, most
recently as Global Head of Music Publishing at YouTube and Google
Play. She previously worked as a litigator advocating for record
labels, music publishers, artists, and songwriters.
Based in New York, Higginson
will report to WMG CEO Robert Kyncl.
In her new post, she will oversee the full spectrum of WMG's global
digital partnerships, from deal-making through account management,
while she and her team will explore commercial innovation and forge
new digital partnerships.
Kyncl commented: "It's rare to find someone of Carletta's
multifaceted expertise – who understands the full scope of the
music publishing and recorded music businesses as well as the
dynamics of streaming, social media, and AI. She has great
commercial instincts, a sharp legal mind, and a collaborative
approach to building well-aligned partnerships. As we pioneer the
future of music with our artists and songwriters, she'll be an
invaluable addition to our senior management team."
Higginson said: "This is a very exciting time to be in music
with many new avenues opening up. I've worked closely with the
outstanding team at WMG for many years, and I'm very happy to be
joining Robert and everyone at WMG to help chart the future
together. Above all, I'm a huge fan of the company's incredible
roster of songwriters and artists."
This appointment follows Oana Ruxandra's announcement of her
departure from WMG. Kyncl added, "Oana's played a key role in
the evolution of WMG and the music business, across a wide range of
revenue streams and different types of innovation. On behalf of
everyone at the company, I'd like to thank her for many
achievements and wish her all the best in her future
entrepreneurial endeavors."
As Global Head of Music Publishing at YouTube, Higginson
spearheaded the platform's licensing strategy, building and
maintaining relationships with publishers, collection societies,
and PROs. Her role included negotiating digital licensing and
partnership agreements, managing existing partnerships, launching
new relationships, and driving new business opportunities. In
addition, she oversaw the development of various initiatives to
help creatively support artists, songwriters, and producers on the
platform.
Prior to joining Google in 2013, Higginson spent a decade in the
legal arena, beginning her career as a securities litigator before
transitioning to specialize in the content, media, and
entertainment space. In 2011, she became a partner at Jenner &
Block LLP, where she focused her practice on litigating copyright,
contractual, and other disputes in the recorded music and music
publishing industries. Her work resulted in precedent-setting
decisions in copyright law, and the successful defense of copyright
owners in a variety of copyright infringement actions.
Higginson holds a JD from Columbia Law School and a BA from
NYU. She was recognized in 2018 and
2020 by Billboard as one of the most powerful Women in Music
and named one of Variety's New York Women of Impact in 2022.
She is a member of the Whitman Circle of the Brooklyn Public
Library and is on the Advisory Board for Sound Thinking NYC. She
was a 2012 Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity and
is a 2015 Leadership Music alumna.
Access accompanying image here.
About Warner Music Group
With a legacy extending back
over 200 years, Warner Music Group (WMG) today brings together
artists, songwriters, and entrepreneurs that are moving
entertainment culture across the globe. Operating in more than 70
countries through a network of affiliates and licensees, WMG's
Recorded Music division includes renowned labels such as 300
Entertainment, Asylum, Atlantic, Big Beat, Canvasback, Elektra,
Erato, First Night, Fueled by Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Reprise,
Rhino, Roadrunner, Sire, Spinnin', Warner
Records, Warner Classics, and Warner Music Nashville. WMG's
music publishing arm, Warner Chappell
Music, has a catalog of over one million copyrights spanning
every musical genre, from the standards of the Great American
Songbook to the biggest hits of the 21st century. Warner Music
Group is also home to ADA, the independent artist and label
services company – as well as next gen artist services division
WMX, which includes consumer brands such as Songkick, the live
music app; EMP, the merchandise e-tailer; UPROXX, the youth culture
destination; and HipHopDX, the hip-hop music news site. In
addition, WMG counts storytelling powerhouse Warner Music
Entertainment and social media content creator IMGN among its many
brands. Follow WMG on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and
Facebook.
Media Contacts
James
Steven
james.steven@wmg.com
Summer Wilkie
summer.wilkie@wmg.com
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SOURCE Warner Music Group Corp.