Warner Music Group has promoted Leho Nigul to chief technology officer, from his current role as senior vice president, engineering.
Effective December 1, Nigul will lead WMG’s technology strategy, team and product roadmap, reporting to CEO Robert Kyncl.
At the same time, it was announced that Ariel Bardin has decided to leave the company after a three-year tenure as president of technology. He will remain with the company until the end of 2025 to ensure the continuity of key initiatives and a smooth leadership transition.
Having joined WMG in 2023, Nigul has overseen engineering teams responsible for wide-ranging initiatives covering distribution, global licensing, royalty management, fan engagement and AI projects, among others.
He joined WMG from Instacart and previously spent over 17 years at IBM, where he served as head of e-commerce and digital experiences SaaS development, in addition to stints at tech start-ups leading engineering teams.
During his time at WMG, Bardin has upgraded the company’s tech infrastructure and processes. Under his leadership, the company has launched tools for artists, songwriters and employees, simplified and strengthened its global supply chain, and delivered improvements to its data systems.
Leho Nigul said: “WMG’s dynamic approach to pioneering the future of music is creating powerful, new opportunities for our artists, songwriters, and teams. I’m delighted to be passed the baton by Ariel, my long-time friend and colleague. With strong foundations in place, we’ll continue to help drive growth, efficiency, and an expanded suite of services for the creative community.”
Robert Kyncl, CEO, Warner Music Group, said: “Leho’s deep knowledge and wide-ranging experience as a leader, engineer, and innovator make him ideally suited to take our team into the future and leverage AI for the benefit of our artists, songwriters, and employees. Ariel leaves with our deepest gratitude for helping to transform our company systems, creating next generation tools, and setting the foundation to rapidly scale WMG going forward, as well as recruiting a brilliant team, including Leho.”
Ariel Bardin said: “It has been an honour to collaborate with the incredible teams at WMG and serve our extraordinary artists and songwriters. Together, we’ve achieved so much, and I’m pleased to be planning my next opportunity knowing the company is well positioned to win over the long term.”
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