John “Espo” Esposito, Chairman & CEO, Warner Music Nashville (WMN), today announced two appointments that further strengthen his senior management team. Effective immediately, Peter Strickland, currently Executive VP/General Manager of WMN, has been named to the newly created post of Chief Marketing Officer. And effective January 1st, Matt Signore, currently President of WEA, Warner Music Group’s global artist and label services division, will assume the post of Chief Operating Officer.
Signore will report to Esposito, as do the other members of WMN’s senior management team, including Strickland; Scott Hendricks, EVP of A&R; Ken Williams, SVP of Finance; Wes Vause, SVP of Publicity; and Megan Joyce, VP of Legal & Business Affairs.
“Since we launched Warner Music Nashville seven years ago, our single focus has been artist development,” said Espo. “We have nurtured a diverse roster of extraordinary talent, while building the finest team and label culture in Music City, ensuring that country music’s best artists have the most creative and dedicated support in the business. Peter has been at the heart of this effort. He has not only been a partner with me from day one, but also draws on his 20 years of experience and deep relationships in Nashville.
“I have known and worked with Matt for over two decades, including our years together at WEA. He is a trusted colleague and a great friend, with an exceptional depth of knowledge and experience. His strategic, operational, and financial insights will be invaluable as we continue to develop our artists’ careers, and I am thrilled that we will be partners again as he begins this new phase of his life.”
Peter Strickland joined WEA in 1988 as a Field Representative based in Boston. He moved to Nashville in 1995, becoming Sales Manager for Warner Bros. Records, and went on to serve as Vice President of Sales/Marketing for Warner/Reprise Nashville. He was upped to SVP, Brand Management & Sales before being named Warner Music Nashville’s EVP/GM in 2013. Strickland also oversees WMN’s comedy imprint LoudMouth Entertainment, and executive produced Jimmy Fallon’s 2013 Grammy Award-winning Comedy Album, Blow Your Pants Off.
Matt Signore joined WEA in 2005 as Chief Financial Officer, and soon added General Manager to his responsibilities. He became President of WEA in 2013. Prior to his WEA tenure, Signore served as CFO & GM of Island Def Jam (IDJ), before which he held various senior finance positions at Island Records.
