Jon Platt Leaving Warner/Chappell… For Sony/ATV?
• Jon Platt will be stepping down as Chairman & CEO of Warner/Chappell Publishing by the end of this year, according to internal memos obtained by Variety and Billboard. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Platt may be taking the top job at Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which, since 2007 has been run by Martin Bandier — Platt’s former boss at EMI.
News of Platt’s impending departure was delivered in a staff memo from Warner Music Group CEO Steve Cooper, which read, in part, “As some of you have heard from Jon Platt, he will be leaving Warner/Chappell before the end of this calendar year. An announcement will be made in due course about where he’s headed.” Cooper continued, “Warner/Chappell is a very different company than the one [Platt] joined in 2012, and he leaves it well positioned for continued growth and change.” He added, “While we identify a new CEO, Jon will work with COO Carianne Marshall and the senior management team to ensure a smooth transition. With the Warner/Chappell U.S. team’s upcoming move to our new L.A. HQ, we have a great opportunity to build on our strong momentum.”
The memo also contained comments from Platt, who said, “WMG is an amazing company. I’ve grown so much in my time here, not only as a music executive, but as a leader. I’ll be forever grateful to Steve Cooper and [Warner Music owner] Len Blavatnik for their belief in me, and for their support. Most importantly, I want to thank you — all of you around the world — I am humbled by the support and trust you’ve so generously given me.”
Platt is slated to receive City of Hope’s prestigious Spirit of Life ® award during a star-studded gala on October 11. The award will be presented to Platt by his longtime friend, Jay-Z. [Photo credit: Nadav Kandar]
