Warner Chappell Chair and CEO Guy Moot joins NMPA Board of Directors

Photo: Jonathan Weiner

Guy Moot, Chair and CEO of Warner Chappell Music, has joined the Board of Directors of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA).

The NMPA is the US trade organization that represents music publishers and their songwriter partners.

The organization announced Moot‘s appointment on Thursday (October 8), a week after he became sole chair of Warner Chappell on October 1.

“Guy Moot is one of the most distinguished creative and business minds in music,” said David Israelite, NMPA President and CEO. “From legends to emerging talent, he has a track record of identifying and championing incredible songwriters.

“The NMPA Board will benefit greatly from his perspective and expertise after over 30 innovative years in the industry.”

“Guy Moot is one of the most distinguished creative and business minds in music.”

David Israelite, NMPA

“Standing up for songwriters’ rights has never been more critical, and David and his team at the NMPA are doing incredible work every day to lay the groundwork for our industry,” said Moot.

“I’m proud to join them and my colleagues on the Board as we continue protecting the true value of music and driving the future of publishing forward.”

Moot joins the board months after the NMPA announced industry-wide AI licensing deals with Udio and KLAY at its annual meeting in June.

Israelite said the Udio agreement was the first industry-wide licensing deal struck with a major AI music company, and the first to value songs and sound recordings equally for AI training.

The second deal, with KLAY, was reached in principle, with the AI platform securing licenses ahead of its launch.

“Litigating against bad AI actors and licensing good AI partners is not in conflict,” Israelite said at that meeting.

At the same event, the NMPA President warned that AI is amplifying streaming fraud, pointing to Apple Music‘s finding of around two billion fraudulent streams on its platform in 2025.

He also cited Deezer, which reported that 75,000 fully AI-generated tracks were being uploaded to its platform each day by April.

The NMPA is also pressing for higher songwriter rates in a Copyright Royalty Board proceeding that will set US mechanical streaming rates for the 2028 to 2032 period.

Before joining Warner Chappell in April 2019, Moot spent 30 years at the company now known as Sony Music Publishing, rising to President, Worldwide Creative and UK Managing Director.

“Standing up for songwriters’ rights has never been more critical, and David and his team at the NMPA are doing incredible work every day.”

GUY MOOT

His tenure there spanned EMI Music Publishing, which merged with Sony/ATV in 2012.

At Warner Chappell, writers retained or signed under Moot have included Cardi B, Imagine Dragons, Sam Smith, Frank Ocean, Lizzo, Anderson .Paak, and the Pop Smoke estate.

Moot became sole chair after Warner Music Group confirmed the exit of Co-Chair and COO Carianne Marshall in September, in a move the company said would “streamline its leadership structure.”

Marshall, who co-led the publisher with Moot from April 2019 and introduced its Creative Services department, will remain with Warner Chappell until the end of 2026.Music Business Worldwide