Warner Records GM Mike Chester and Dalia Ganz, who’s been upped to EVP of digital and marketing. Photo Credit: WMG
On the heels of last week’s ADA shakeup, Warner Music Group (WMG) has confirmed a Warner Records marketing overhaul – including three executive departures.
WMG disclosed the exits – which, as many know, represent the latest in a long line of shifts at the major – in a formal release concerning Warner Records’ “dynamic new marketing team.”
As described by WMG, the overhauled department intends to combine “digital and traditional marketing in a streamlined structure that accelerates decision making” – besides unlocking other operational advantages to boot.
Transitioning from this optimistic overview and to the not-so-positive side of the news, leaving Warner Records are marketing and artist development EVP Dionnee Harper; commercial revenue SVP Josh Remsberg; and artist development VP Kristine Ripley.
Those employees spent three years, close to four years, and 13 years with Warner Records, respectively. (Harper had logged the better part of two decades with WMG’s Atlantic before that, however.)
As for Warner Records’ initially mentioned promotions, Dalia Ganz is heading the revamped marketing unit as EVP of digital and marketing. Ganz joined WMG three years ago after nearly 17 years with the Walt Disney Company.
Also promoted are Sam Riddle (now SVP of digital marketing) and Will Morrow (SVP of viral marketing) – with Warner Records naming three different individuals SVPs of marketing strategy and operations.
The latter higher-ups are Jesse Ervin (who’s been with Warner Records for 11 years and was previously a VP), TJ Landig (19 years with Warner Records), and Shawnae Corbett-Rice (seven years).
Next, Warner Records GM Mike Chester has further “streamlined the Commerce department in order to improve communication and accelerate decision-making,” the major relayed.
Long story short: Axel Hyge (who remains SVP of streaming strategy) and Dave Edwards (who came aboard Robert Kyncl-led WMG as SVP of revenue and operations this past October) are leading the commerce team.
Will the whirlwind of personnel changes (and more painful cutbacks) deliver the sought results? Chester appears to believe so; in a statement, the exec touted the realigned marketing team as poised to “do a phenomenal, industry-leading job.”
“Dalia is a future forward executive whose digital marketing expertise has been pivotal to our recent success,” Chester said in part. “And Sam, Will, Jesse, TJ, Shawnae, Axel, and Dave are the best in the business, bringing incredible enthusiasm, knowledge, and experience to their work.
“Together with their entire teams, I have no doubt they’ll do a phenomenal, industry-leading job for our artists as we continue to build groundbreaking careers in a rapidly expanding musical universe,” concluded Chester, who only started as Warner Records’ GM at 2025’s beginning.
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