Warner Music Group executive VP, digital strategy and business development Alejandro (Alex) Zubillaga, will leave the company June 1 to “pursue entrepreneurial activities in media and other businesses,” the music giant said today.
His replacement on that date is Michael Nash, who has served as WMG’s senior VP, digital strategy and business development since Feb. 1, 2000.
Reporting to WMG chairman and CEO Edgar Bronfman, Nash will be responsible for the major’s worldwide digital strategy and business development activity including key initiatives driving Internet and mobile commerce, and new music-based products and services.
Nash has played a central role in building WMG’s distribution footprint and partnership portfolio, including pacts with AT&T, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Motorola, Verizon and Sony Ericsson.
“Over the past eight years,” comments Bronfman in a statement, “Michael has demonstrated his ability to find the right opportunities, create the key partnerships and deliver on the deals that have become a cornerstone of this company’s future. I am confident of his ability to successfully lead our digital strategy.”
Since joining WMG in March 2004, Zubillaga has spearheaded a number of groundbreaking deals in the mobile and online music spaces, including a pact with Verizon Wireless in January 2005 to sell mobile music video downloads that was among the first U.S. deals of its kind.
N.Y.-based Zubillaga was central to a multi-territory, cross-platform “triple play” agreement with France Telecom in May 2005 that made WMG content available to more than 110 million subscribers in 12 countries, and was the architect of a number of deals to expand WMG’s presence in international markets, including South Korea and South Africa.
Prior to joining WMG, Zubillaga was co-founder and managing director of WMG-investor Lexa Partners, a venture capital group, and before that was founder and managing partner of E-Quest Partners, a venture capital firm focused on investments in Latin America.
“Alex has brought a non-traditional approach to the music business based on his history as a venture capitalist and in building a successful media company,” Bronfman said in a statement. “Most of all, his talent, imagination and enthusiasm, have been critical in enabling WMG develop its aggressive, industry-leading digital strategy. We are sad to see Alex leave but we wish him all the best in his next endeavors.”
