Chris Gobalakrishna and Jonathan Serbin have been named as the new co-presidents of Warner Music Asia.
They will be based in Hong Kong and report to Simon Robson, president, international for recorded music at Warner Music Group.
The appointments come as Warner grows its presence in Asia, following the acquisition of Gold Typhoon (2014) and ISS (2016); the opening of business in Vietnam (2020); the launching of news labels including Japan's +809 (2019) and Whet Records (2021).
Gobalakrishna and Serbin will accelerate this strategy over the coming years, in a region where the recorded music industry grew by 9.5% in 2020 to $5.1 billion (and by 29.9% excluding the more established market in Japan), according to IFPI.
Chris Gobalakrishna said: “I’m honoured to be working with Jonathan to lead our Asian operations. Asia is such a dynamic region, with dramatic growth prospects, which is also driving the latest tech developments in music streaming and the wider ecosystem. We need to continue to innovate to ensure that Warner Music is the first choice for artists with global aspirations. We’re constantly looking to better monetise the huge consumption of music in all its forms across the region to the benefit our artists.”
Jonathan Serbin said: “Chris and I are determined to give a launch pad to all the amazing artists emerging from all corners of Asia, so they can take their rightful place on the global stage. From hip-hop to dance, rock to pop, Asian artists are redefining genres and connecting with audiences like never before. The wider world is waking up to the huge level of talent in this region and the next few years will see Asian artists becoming increasingly influential and successful on the world stage. We want Warner Music to be leading this revolution.”
Simon Robson added: “Chris and Jonathan are hugely talented and experienced execs who’ve already been very impactful at Warner Music Asia. 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. Their skills complement each other perfectly and make for a formidable partnership, which will be hugely beneficial to growing the success of Warner Music’s domestic and international artists in Asia and beyond.”
