WMG ASIA TAPS TWO LEADERS
Warner Music Group has tapped Chris Gobalakrishna and Jonathan Serbin as Co-Presidents of Warner Music Asia. They will both be based in Hong Kong and report to Simon Robson, President, International, Recorded Music, Warner Music Group.
“Jonathan has spent almost 20 years in mainland China building and managing entertainment and music companies with influence across Asia, while Chris has more than two decades’ experience as a commercial COO and CFO across a wide range of sectors," Robson said. "Their skills complement each other perfectly and make for a formidable partnership.”
Gobalakrishna joined Warner Music Asia in 2020 as SVP, Finance and Operations. He started his career at BMG in 1994 and over the subsequent decade rose through the ranks to become Vice President of Finance for BMG International and then did a stint at Sony Music before moving into the private equity world.
Serbin also joined Warner Music Asia in 2020, becoming CEO of Greater China and Head of Strategic Investment. He began his career as a music lawyer in New York, thereafter moving into investment banking, specializing in media and entertainment mergers and acquisitions.
The recorded-music industry grew by 9.5% in 2020 to $5.1b in Asia and in recent years, Warner Music has acquired the catalogs of Gold Typhoon (2014) and ISS (2016); opened an office in Vietnam (2020); launched new labels like Japan’s +809 (2019) and Whet Records (2021); introduced label-services arm ADA (2020); and expanded its domestic rosters in Japan and Korea.
