Tracy Gardner is preparing to take charge in the top music role at TikTok.
She will take over as global head of music business development at TikTok and parent company ByteDance next month, following the departure of Ole Obermann. His next industry role is yet to be confirmed.
Gardner has worked alongside Obermann for nearly 10 years, both at Warner Music and TikTok, which she joined shortly after his appointment as VP, global head of music (later expanded to the music business development role at ByteDance).
“Very honoured and excited to lead this superstar team at TikTok,” Gardner posted on LinkedIn. “Thank you Ole Obermann for nearly a decade working together; it's been an amazing adventure!”
Gardner has been promoted from her role as global head of licensing and partnerships. At the time of her 2019 appointment, Obermann described her as “an exceptional deal maker”.
Much has changed since her appointment: ByteDance abandoned plans to develop a music streaming service and has instead focused on its Add To Music App initiative in partnership with DSPs.
In the past year, TikTok has renewed its licensing partnership with Universal Music Group following a public falling out. In addition to partnering with Taylor Swift, the short form video app has also been partnering with artists on campaign initiatives and supporting breakthrough talent with a new content series.
While the relationship with UMG was restored, TikTok has clashed with the independent sector after opting for direct deals rather than a collective agreement with Merlin.
In her current TikTok role, Gardner has negotiated global licensing agreements with record labels. She has been responsible for driving commercial relationships with TikTok’s label partners, while also leading music strategy and business development across various teams at Bytedance.
Very honoured and excited to lead this superstar team at TikTok
Tracy Gardner
Gardner has also played a crucial role in the development of the TikTok music team, to help build music industry relations and initiatives such as the 2021 Ed Sheeran livestream – a key moment in the platform's LIVE performance content. Last summer key appointments were made in the UK, including the promotion to Toyin Mustapha as head of music partnerships, UK, Ireland & SSA, and the expansion of the SoundOn label services initiative.
Prior to TikTok, Gardner’s background at Warner Music included a spell working in London as SVP of global business development & strategy. That role, for which she was charged with evolving Warner Music’s global strategy for audio and video streaming, made her an obvious appointment for a senior position at ByteDance.
During her time at Warner Music, she negotiated and drafted deals with the industry’s major digital players, including Spotify, Apple, YouTube/Google, Rhapsody/Napster, Deezer and Pandora.
She was also involved with various Warner Music Group acquisitions including Parlophone Label Group, X5 and Spinnin’.
She first joined WMG in 2011 as part of the digital legal affairs team in New York. In January 2013, she made the move to London to handle digital legal matters for Warner Music International, and transitioned to the business development team in the summer of 2014.
Prior to joining Warner, Gardner spent two and a half years at New York law firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, where she worked in the firm’s intellectual property, information technology and e-commerce group.
PHOTO: Mat Hayward/Variety/Getty Images
FOLLOW 
