Warner Music Asia Names Co-Presidents
• Chris Gobalakrishna and Jonathan Serbin have been named as the new Co-Presidents of Warner Music Asia. They will both be based in Hong Kong and report to Simon Robson, President, International, Recorded Music, Warner Music Group.
Together, the two executives will succeed Robson, who was President of Warner Music Asia between 2015 and 2020 before returning to London to take up his current role.
Gobalakrishna (right) joined Warner Music Asia in 2020 as SVP, Finance and Operations. He started his career at BMG in 1994 and over the next decade rose to VP of Finance for BMG International. He then worked for Sony Music Entertainment as SVP, Global Digital Business & New Business Initiatives, and in 2012 Gobalakrishna joined Univision Communications as CFO, Digital, Enterprises, Research, Marketing, Events & Social Media.
Serbin (left) also joined Warner Music Asia in 2020 as CEO of Greater China and Head of Strategic Investment. He previously worked for Billboard as Head of Asia, launching the brand in China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Serbin began his career as a corporate music lawyer in New York.
Robson remarked, “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.”
Gobalakrishna said, “I’m honored 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.”
Serbin remarked, “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.”
