Max Lousada, who has served as CEO of recorded music for the Warner Music Group since 2017 and who will quickly be exiting the corporate, has penned a farewell notice to employees, which was obtained by Billboard.
“My complete profession, from my indie roots by means of my 21 years right here at Warner, has been guided by one easy reality: Individuals who could make music that strikes persons are particular,” Lousada wrote. “The world wants them. It’s a privilege to assist these artists be seen, heard, appreciated and, finally, to succeed.”
Lousada has spent twenty years on the Warner Music Group, beginning within the mid-2000s, when he joined Atlantic U.Ok. and ran that firm for 9 years. He took over Warner Music’s entire U.Ok. operation in 2013, earlier than shifting to tackle the highest music function at WMG below then-CEO Stephen Cooper in 2017. A longtime artist advocate inside the constructing, Lousada is credited with taking part in a significant function within the careers of Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, David Guetta and extra.
Throughout his tenure, he was a part of the management workforce that helped WMG grow to be a public firm as soon as once more in 2020, whereas additionally serving to facilitate and combine the acquisitions of 300 Leisure, 10K Tasks and Spinnin Data.
Previous to his time at Warner, Lousada ran his personal distribution firm within the late Nineties earlier than becoming a member of indie labels Rawkus Data in 2000 as European managing director, and Mushroom Data in 2002 as head of A&R.
On Aug. 1, present WMG CEO Robert Kyncl introduced a significant restructuring of the label group, which included information of Lousada’s exit; his final day in his put up will likely be Sept. 30, although he’ll stay in an advisory capability by means of January. His place inside the firm won’t get replaced. As a part of the transition, a lot of high-profile leaders at Warner are additionally leaving the corporate, together with Atlantic Music Group CEO Julie Greenwald, who herself penned a farewell letter to employees yesterday (Sept. 26). Elliot Grainge will take over as CEO of Atlantic Music Group starting Oct. 1.
Learn Lousada’s full notice to employees under.
Hello everybody,
Monday will likely be my final day as CEO, Warner Recorded Music.
Though I’ll be working in an advisory capability until the top of January, it seems like that is the second to thanks all for what has been probably the most extraordinary expertise and probably the most unbelievable honour.
My complete profession, from my indie roots by means of my 21 years right here at Warner, has been guided by one easy reality: Individuals who could make music that strikes persons are particular. The world wants them. It’s a privilege to assist these artists be seen, heard, appreciated and, finally, to succeed.
So I need to categorical my gratitude to all of the artists and managers who put their religion in me and in Warner to help them. Being there from the start with superstars like Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Dua Lipa, and David Guetta; our partnerships with legends like Coldplay and Linkin Park; being entrusted with the catalogs of icons like David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Madonna, and Led Zeppelin; seeing artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Uzi Vert, CKay, Zach Bryan, Myke Towers, Gunna, Lizzo, Jack Harlow, Benson Boone, and Charli xcx make their mark on tradition…these and so many others are reminiscences and relationships I’ll treasure.
I need to give big respect to everybody who champions artists daily by supporting their creativity, telling their tales, fuelling their fandom, and taking them world, in addition to the unsung heroes defending artists’ rights, getting them paid, and ensuring all of us are outfitted to do our greatest work. Everybody right here performs their half and, no matter your function, know that I see you and I respect you. It has been my privilege to work with you and to steer you.
I wish to thank Len for backing Warner, and to want him, Robert, and the WMG management workforce each success in steering this distinctive and historic firm ahead.
For all of you taking Warner into its subsequent period, do not forget that, at its easiest, music is the sound of change. What probably the most iconic artists and probably the most enduring companies have in widespread is evolution. Generally that’s exhilarating, generally it’s messy and troublesome. I encourage you to embrace ALL of it as a result of it’s once we problem ourselves to maneuver ahead that artists win, followers win, and we win. In the end, music has to win. It’s simply too vital to not.
No matter my subsequent period appears like, I’ll at all times be rooting for you and I hope a lot of our paths will cross once more.
For now, I’m going to go and put a document on…
Thanks, all of you, for the whole lot.
Max
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