Warner Bros. Records (WBR) has appointed widely-respected music lawyer Julian Petty as Executive Vice President and Head of Business & Legal Affairs.
Based in Los Angeles, Petty will report to Warner Bros. Records Co-Chairman & CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck and Co-Chairman & COO Tom Corson.
Petty joins WBR from the law firm Nixon Peabody LLP (NP), where he was Partner and Head of the Entertainment Practice Group.
During his time there, he provided career planning and business development counsel to various artists and corporate clients in music, TV, film and new media.
Petty’s clients included Childish Gambino, Vince Staples, and Earl Sweatshirt as well as A Tribe Called Quest, the Estate of Notorious B.I.G., and super producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
Prior to joining NP, Petty was a partner at Fox Rothschild LLP where he helped establish their media and entertainment practice group.
Before his law career, he was a manager in the community products and programming group for AOL where he effectively managed programming and product integration for several interactive areas on the AOL service.
“As we’re developing a culturally connected, globally impactful team, Julian will play a vital leadership role.”
Aaron Bay-Schuck and Tom Corson, Warner Bros. Records
Corson and Bay-Schuck said: “As we’re developing a culturally connected, globally impactful team, Julian will play a vital leadership role.
“He’ll help us cultivate and execute innovative deals and strategies that attract and keep extraordinary talent, while staying on the leading edge of the music business where the opportunities are endless.
“Julian brings extensive experience with groundbreaking artists to his new position, combined with a sharp legal and business sense, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to our label.”
“Ever since my first internship at Def Jam Records, I’ve had a passion for protecting the rights of the creative community.”
Julian Petty
Petty added: “Ever since my first internship at Def Jam Records, I’ve had a passion for protecting the rights of the creative community.
“If you know me, you know that the only way I would have given up private practice is to be part of a company that encourages artists to go after their dreams, and under Aaron’s and Tom’s leadership, Warner Bros. Records is undoubtedly that place.
“For me, this is a unique opportunity to continue helping artists, just from a different seat. At the end of the day, we’re all working together to help them succeed.”
Aaron Bay-Schuck officially started as the new Co-Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros Records on October 1, 2018.
Last month Warner Bros. announced that it had partnered with songwriter Justin Tranter and Katie Vinten, most recently Co-Head of A&R for Warner/Chappell Music, to launch a new label called Facet Records.Music Business Worldwide
