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STU BERGEN, 52
CEO of international and global commercial services, Warner Music Group
ERIC LEVIN
Executive vp/CFO, WMG
OLE OBERMANN
Executive vp business development/chief digital officer, WMG
PAUL ROBINSON
Executive vp/general counsel, WMG
STREAMING REVENUE UP 22.6 PERCENT: Thanks in large part to this quartet, WMG’s overall revenue exceeded $4 billion in 2018 — a company record since its purchase by Len Blavatnik’s Access Industries in 2011. Bergen, who oversees 30-plus territories, helped drive a 22.6 percent increase in streaming revenue as well as WMG’s $180 million purchase of European direct-to-fan etailer EMP Merchandising. Obermann steered the launch of WMG Boost, a seed fund earmarked for early-stage music startups, while Levin and Robinson ensured new ventures ran smoothly. Among WMG’s top globetrotters: Ed Sheeran, whose world tour grossed $433.5 million, and Brazilian breakthrough Anitta, who has released tracks sung in Portuguese, Spanish and English.
MUSIC TREND HE’D LIKE TO SEE IN 2019: Levin: “I’d like to see streaming services find further ways to differentiate themselves and offer consumers real choice.”
