Warner/Chappell Music Names Brian Roberts Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
An industry veteran with more than 22 years of financial, strategic and operational experience, Roberts will be responsible for financial planning, budgeting and reporting for Warner/Chappell Music. Additionally, he will work closely with Michael Fleisher, Executive Vice President and CFO for WMG.
In making the announcement, Johnson said, "I'm extremely pleased that Brian is joining the company. It's a very exciting time for WCM as we continue to transform our business, devise new business models and seek out new revenue streams. Brian's in-depth industry knowledge, his strategic ability and his accessible approach will quickly make him a valuable member of our senior management team. I look forward to working with him and continuing the great work that has already begun to gear our operations towards maximizing the many new opportunities ahead."
Roberts succeeds Warner/Chappell CFO Nick Thomas, who has decided to return to his home in the U.K. Roberts also assumes Thomas' role as head of the World Administration Committee (WAC).
Johnson continued, "We are very grateful for Nick's contribution in laying such solid foundations for us to build upon going forward. Nick has been an outstanding executive at Warner/Chappell; his positive influence has been significant and his impact felt throughout our worldwide organization. I was very lucky that Nick was in place as Warner/Chappell's CFO when I joined the company last year. His energy, integrity, experience and intelligence, as well as his distinct sense of humor, have been a daily benefit to me since then. We wish him and his family only the best upon their return to the U.K."
For the past five years Roberts served as Senior Vice President, Finance & Administration of North and South America at BMG Music Publishing. In this role, he managed all finance and administrative operations in the Core, Contemporary Christian and Production Music divisions.
From 1994 to 2002, Roberts was Senior Vice President, Finance and Commercial Operations at Zomba Music Publishing where he was involved in the dynamic growth of the company and part of the management team involved in the sale of Zomba to BMG Music Publishing, as well as the later sale of BMG Music Publishing to Universal Music Publishing Group.
Previously, he served as Vice President, Finance for EMI Music Publishing North America. From 1990 to 1994, his primary responsibility included budgeting and forecasting, strategic development and interacting with EMI's parent company. From 1985 to 1990, Roberts was Audit Senior within the Media & Entertainment Practice, where he worked with a number of clients in the music and publishing industries.
Roberts received his B.S. degree in Accounting from Manhattan College and is a Certified Public Accountant in New York.
About Warner/Chappell Music
Warner/Chappell Music is WMG's award-winning global music publishing company. The Warner/Chappell Music catalog includes standards such as "Happy Birthday To You," "Rhapsody in Blue," "Winter Wonderland," the songs of Cole Porter and George and Ira Gershwin, as well as the music of Dido, Dr. Dre, Eric Clapton, Green Day, Led Zeppelin, Madonna, Nickelback, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sheryl Crow, T.I. and others. Warner/Chappell Music is a leader in creating innovative strategies for marketing and promoting its songwriters and their music. The company's extensive catalog makes it a natural first stop for A&R executives and record producers, feature film and television production companies, and others looking to record or license some of the world's greatest music.