Warner Music names Val Blavatnik to lead North America and U.K. in broad reshuffle
Val Blavatnik will take charge of Warner Music Group's recorded-music business in North America and the U.K.
Chief executive Robert Kyncl announced the appointment on Sept. 25, naming Blavatnik as managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development. He is 28. He is the son of Len Blavatnik, Warner Music Group's majority owner and vice-chairman, and he has served on the company board since 2023, according to Billboard.
Blavatnik joined Warner in 2023 in two roles, as a board member and as senior director of business development at Warner Chappell Music, the publishing side of the company that looks after song rights. Before that, he spent two years on the investment team at LionTree, the media and telecoms advisory firm. He later served as a special adviser to Kyncl while finishing his studies at Harvard Business School, from which he graduated in the spring.
He was involved in Warner's acquisition of 10K Projects, the independent label that brought Elliot Grainge into the group. Grainge, the founder of 10K Projects, now leads Atlantic Music Group as chairman and chief executive. He will now take on a further role inside Warner.
Grainge will become chairman of ADA, Warner's distribution and services arm that handles releases for independent labels and artists outside its main frontline labels. Zach Friedman, chief operating officer of Atlantic Music Group, will add the title of vice-chair of ADA. The two appointments place Atlantic's current leadership over the group's independent distribution network.
Alejandro Duque has been named president of Warner Music International, with oversight of Asia-Pacific and Europe, the Middle East and Africa added to his remit. Duque held two posts since July 2025, as president of Warner Music Latin and president of ADA. His new title consolidates Warner's international recorded-music regions outside North America and the U.K. under one executive.
At Warner Records, Aaron Bay-Schuck has been confirmed as sole chairman and chief executive. He co-led the United States frontline label since 2018. His former co-lead, Tom Corson, was promoted to chief operating officer of Warner Music Group two months before the Sept. 25 announcements, leaving Bay-Schuck as the label's single head.
There is also change in Europe. Simon Robson, president of recorded music for Europe, the Middle East and Africa since September 2025, will leave Warner Music Group. He spent almost 30 years in senior international roles at the company. Guillermo Gonzalez will replace him after six years as president of Warner Music Iberia, and Andrés Rothschild will take over Iberian operations.
