Tom Whalley is out as chairman of Warner Bros. Records, and creative executive Rob Cavallo will replace him, the company announced Tuesday.
Whalley (at left, pictured with Josh Groban) rose from the mailroom to head the division for nearly a decade. Cavallo (below, right) was WBR's chief creative officer before accepting the new position.
In a letter to the staff obtained by the Hollywood Reporter, Whalley indicated that he had chosen to move on and reflected on the company's accomplishments during his nearly 10 years at the helm.
“The fact that we have three albums in the Top Ten this week is but one indication of the strength of our roster and our strong momentum. … I want to sincerely thank Lyor and Edgar for their leadership and their willingness to support my decision.”
Included in the shakeup are the appointment of Todd Moscowitz
from executive vice president to co-president; and Livia Tortella, currently executive vice president of WMG’s Atlantic Records, to co-president and chief operating officer.
"With Rob’s creative brilliance, Todd’s proven ability to develop and execute new business models and revenue streams and Livia’s established track record of building lasting artist careers, we have in place a group of executives who are uniquely positioned to continue to strengthen the reputation of Warner Bros. as an artist-friendly haven with a visionary approach to discovering and nurturing new talent,” Lyor Cohen, WMG’s Vice Chairman and Chairman and CEO, Recorded Music – Americas and the U.K., said in a statement.
