Warner Music Group has announced two new leadership appointments in its recorded music division. Eric Wong has been named president of East West Records and head of global A&R for recorded music, while Jessica Keeley-Carter has been promoted to Wong’s previous role, chief marketing officer of recorded music. Both will report directly to WMG CEO Robert Kyncl.
Eric Wong’s New Role at East West Records
In his new post, Wong will lead East West Records, which, confusingly, is not a label but a “connector across the company’s global ecosystem,” for example, identifying talent in specific regions and helping to connect those artists with the optimal labels or staffs in other regions and globally. Wong will also help sign and develop artists, while working across the company’s roster of stars to foster collaborations and creative opportunities.
Jessica Keeley-Carter’s Promotion to CMO
Keeley-Carter most recently served as EVP of Global Marketing at WMG. As CMO, she will “power the continued evolution of WMG’s global, regional, and local marketing services for recording talent.” Keeley-Carter will lead the company’s marketing network to deliver collaborative worldwide strategies which amplify local activations and drive fandom.
Restructuring of WMG’s Recorded Music Organization
These appointments follow the restructuring of WMG’s new recorded music organization, “introducing a flatter regional structure, backed by strengthened global services, in order to create more direct channels between local expertise and global opportunities,” according to the announcement.
CEO Robert Kyncl’s Comments
Kyncl said, “Eric’s newly-created role leans into his long-standing relationships within the artistic community and his deep understanding of how music travels around the world. Jess is an expert marketer and an inventive leader, who will help us orchestrate best-in-class ways of cutting through the noise in an increasingly complex and cluttered world.”
Eric Wong and Jessica Keeley-Carter’s Background
Wong has served as Chief Marketing Officer for WMG Recorded Music since 2020. He came to the company after nearly a decade at Universal Music Group, where he held roles including COO of Island Records. Prior to Island, Wong was a senior VP of marketing at Atlantic Records.
Keeley-Carter joined WMG in 2019 as senior VP of global marketing and was promoted to EVP in 2022. In that role, she worked closely with marketing leads to execute regional marketing services across LATAM, Asia, and Europe/Middle East/Africa. Prior to joining WMG, Keeley-Carter was at Meta, where she oversaw commercial label partnerships for EMEA and previously spent eight years at Universal Music Group.
FAQs
Q: What are the new leadership appointments at Warner Music Group’s recorded music division?
A: Eric Wong has been named president of East West Records and head of global A&R for recorded music, while Jessica Keeley-Carter has been promoted to chief marketing officer of recorded music.
Q: Who will Eric Wong and Jessica Keeley-Carter report to?
A: Both will report directly to WMG CEO Robert Kyncl.
Q: What is the focus of Eric Wong’s new role at East West Records?
A: Wong will lead East West Records as a connector across the company’s global ecosystem, identifying talent in specific regions and facilitating collaborations globally.
Q: What will Jessica Keeley-Carter’s role as CMO entail?
A: Keeley-Carter will power the evolution of WMG’s marketing services for recording talent on a global, regional, and local scale.
Q: How has WMG’s recorded music organization been restructured?
A: The organization has introduced a flatter regional structure with strengthened global services to create more direct channels between local expertise and global opportunities.
Q: What are Eric Wong and Jessica Keeley-Carter’s backgrounds in the music industry?
A: Wong has a background at Universal Music Group, while Keeley-Carter has experience at Meta and Universal Music Group before joining WMG.
Credit: variety.com
