Warner Records co-chairman and COO Tom Corson was promoted to COO of the larger Warner Music Group (WMG), succeeding Armin Zerza in the role, the company announced on Friday (July 31).
Corson has served as co-chairman and COO of Warner Records, where he led business operations, strategy and commercial development, since 2018. During that time, he’s succeeded in growing the label and its artists, which include Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dua Lipa, Zach Bryan, Benson Boone, Michael Bublé, Teddy Swims, Linkin Park, Cody Johnson, and Sombr. Warner Records finished in fifth place in label market share at midyear, notching a 5.11% mark.
In a statement, WMG CEO Robert Kyncl described Corson as a “dynamic, respected, and effective executive.”
“Together with [Warner Records CEO] Aaron [Bay-Schuck], he’s helped architect Warner Records’ resurgence, and we’ll leverage his vision, disciplined execution, and deep experience across the entire company as we continue to deliver for our artists and songwriters while achieving our top and bottom line goals,” Kyncl said.
“It’s an honor to step into this role during such a transformative era for both our company and the industry at large,” added Corson. “A huge thanks to Robert for the opportunity, as well as to Aaron and the Warner Records team for the unforgettable run. I’m looking forward to building on our momentum, turbocharging operations, and creating even more impactful opportunities for our incredible artists and songwriters worldwide.”
Zerza’s departure was announced earlier on Friday.
A music industry veteran, Corson has spent more than four decades in senior leadership roles at various companies. Prior to Warner Records, he was most recently president and COO of RCA Music Group.
