Warner Music Shakeup Reaches Japan With President and CEO Kaz Kobayashi’s Exit — ‘The Right Moment for Me To Move On’
An aerial shot of Tokyo, Japan. Photo Credit: George Kedenburg III
Moments after 300 Elektra Entertainment head Kevin Liles announced his exit, Kaz Kobayashi has revealed plans to step down at the helm of Warner Music Japan later this year.
Unlike Liles’ announcement, which was made first via an internal memo, Kaz Kobayashi’s Warner Music Group departure came to light in an official release today. Per that message, which was emailed to DMN, Kobayashi is currently working with Warner Music Japan chairman Kenji Kitatani “on a transition plan.”
Kitatani only recently signed on as chairman, and a successor for Kobayashi (who led Warner Music Japan for a decade) “will be announced in due course,” per WMG.
“I want to thank Simon Robson and the entire team at Warner Music Japan, past and present, who have been with me on what has been an incredible journey,” Kaz Kobayashi said of the news.
“I am truly grateful and feel honored to have been involved in the lives of many great artists, including Tatsuro Yamashita and Mariya Takeuchi. But all good things come to an end and I’ve decided it’s the right moment for me to move on,” concluded the former Sony Music exec Kobayashi.
As many know, Kobayashi is far from the sole Warner Music exec who’s decided this year that it’s time to move on. To be sure, the past two months alone have brought departure announcements involving him, Max Lousada, Julie Greenwald, and the aforementioned Liles.
The executive shakeups have been accompanied by several noteworthy promotions and, bigger picture, a sweeping reorganization spearheaded by Warner Music CEO Robert Kyncl. At this point, it makes more sense to recap the various components and byproducts of that reorganization than to dive into a comprehensive analysis.
Warner Music’s 2024 Reorganization, Expansion Initiatives, and Executive Shifts At a Glance
January – Warner Music Brazil opens a Rio de Janeiro headquarters, and WMG proper partners with Pakistan’s Giraffe.
February – WMG sets in motion a new layoffs round (affecting Atlantic and more) and moves to sell, among other media assets, Uproxx as well as HipHopDX.
March and April – Warner Music South East Europe takes a minority stake in Slovenian independent label NIKA before launching an EDM label called Balkan Electro.
Additionally, Warner Music South Asia officially debuts.
May and June – Warner Music unveils a revamped Música Mexicana team, and Goldman vet Michael Ryan-Southern comes aboard to pursue acquisitions as WMG’s EVP of corporate development.
July and August – WMG’s sweeping recorded music shakeup brings the exit of Max Lousada (and later Julie Greenwald) as well as the elevation of Elliot Grainge.
Plus, Warner Music Balkans launches, and WMG invests in Brazil’s Sua Música. Subsequently, Warner Music Brazil reveals a restructuring initiative designed to “turbocharge” growth, and Warner Music Japan adds Kenji Kitatani as chairman.
September – 300 Elektra Entertainment’s Kevin Liles and Warner Music Japan’s Kaz Kobayashi announce their departures.
