Recognized Expert and Author Joins Company in Newly Created Role

 Recognized data science expert, statistician, and author Dr. Kobi Abayomi has joined Warner Music Group (WMG) as SVP, Data Science and Analytics. In this newly created role, he will lead analytics globally across WMG, driving valuable business insights through which the company can measure and maximize success for its artists and songwriters. Dr. Abayomi will be based in New York and report to Oana Ruxandra, EVP, Business Development and Chief Digital Officer.

“Kobi is a brilliant author, scholar, and executive whose extensive resume speaks for itself,” said Ruxandra. “Working closely with our partners in Recorded Music, Corporate, and Music Publishing, he’ll play a critical role in helping us use data to forecast trends and aid our artists, songwriters, and ultimately music fans. There’s no one better suited to take on this post as we continue to emphasize the importance and value of making strategic, data-backed business decisions.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining WMG, a company that so many iconic artists, and many of my favorite artists, call home,” added Abayomi. “I’m impressed with everything Oana and the team have accomplished to build the business and I’m eager to get to work to help elevate the careers of the wonderful artists and songwriters on the WMG roster around the globe. From playing the pipe organ in church as a kid to DJing for my college radio and in NYC bars and clubs, I’ve been an avid consumer of music for a long time; I’m now keen to marry my love and enthusiasm for music with my professional training and experience in this great role at WMG.”

Dr. Abayomi joins WMG from WarnerMedia, where he directed monetization for the company’s varied broadcast media inventory. Prior to that, he held posts at Barnes & Noble Education and Dun & Bradstreet, and served as a professor at Georgia Tech, Binghamton University, and the University of Cuenca. His business work has focused on audience behavior, activation, and segmentation; while his research work was on environmental sustainability, statistical dependency, and econometrics.

A sample of Dr. Abayomi’s applied work includes: creating the methodology for the Columbia University Earth Institute’s Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI); the World Bank Hotspots Report; the Duke/Ford Foundation’s National Asset Scorecard; the United Nations Millennium Development Goals 2015 predictions; and the New York City Department of Education College Undermatching Report.

Dr. Abayomi is a graduate of Georgia Tech and Columbia University and has completed post doctorate study at Duke and Stanford Universities. He is a widely cited author – having penned novel work in statistics, econometrics, and probabilistic dependency – and holds appointments on the faculty and data science council at Seton Hall University.