MUMBAI: Warner Music Group Corp. yesterday announced a major shake-up at its flagship label, Warner Bros. Records.
In this management shake-up, chairman and chief executive Tom Whalley and COO Diarmuid Quinn of Warner Bros. Records are departing after their long run, media reports.
Parent company Warner Music Group Corp told the media that Whalley will be succeeded by Rob Cavallo, a music producer-turned-executive who has helped create many of the label's biggest hits in recent years, including albums by Green Day and others. Cavallo until yesterday served as Warner Bros. Records' chief creative officer.
Whalley was frequently at odds with his boss, Lyor Cohen, the vice chairman of Warner Music Group. Speculation had been rampant for years within the industry over how long the two men could continue to work together. Todd Moscowitz, who currently heads Warner's independent label group and Asylum Records, has become co-president and chief executive officer.
Atlantic Records general manager Livia Tortella has taken over as co-president and chief operating officer. Tortella brings with her a track record of growing digital sales at Atlantic, which became the first label to have greater digital revenues than physical sales in the U S in 2008.
It is speculated that the change is either the result of a power grab by Warner Music vice chair Lyor Cohen, who Whalley praised in his exit memo or simple cost-cutting.