WEA taps Danielle Lee for the newly created role of President, Warner Music Artist and Fan Experiences 16 Jun 2021
Former NBA and Spotify Exec will lead WEA’s artist services division with a special focus on strengthening the company’s fan engagement strategy
WEA, the Label and Artist Services division of Warner Music Group (WMG), today announced former NBA and Spotify exec Danielle Lee has joined the company in the newly created role of President, Warner Music Artist and Fan Experiences. Based in New York, she will report directly to WEA’s President Maria Weaver.
In this new role, Lee will lead WEA’s existing Artist Services division, covering everything from ticketing, marketing, account management, and data research & analysis. Additionally, she will have a special focus on broadening the company’s overall global fan engagement strategy through the planning and execution of creative cross-channel campaigns for artists. Partnering with WMG’s labels, Lee will create and execute custom plans to maximize each artist’s access to their fans.
In making the announcement Maria Weaver said: “Danielle is a fan and marketing guru who brings deep expertise and knowledge to this role from both inside and outside the music industry. She’ll be a key change agent, helping us build upon WEA’s already impressive track record of success in traditional artist services, while also turbo-charging our global fan engagement strategy by finding new and inventive ways to bring fans closer to their favorite artists.”
Lee added: “In today’s world, it’s about the music and so much more – fans crave connection with their favorite artists through their shared interests and through memorable experiences, whether that be on social, gaming, audio, video, or in real life. I look forward to working with this talented team to provide world-class service to our artists while creating impactful experiences that put the fans at the center of everything we do. It’s an honor to take on this role at a company like WEA with such a storied history.”
Most recently, Lee served as Chief Fan Officer for the National Basketball Association (NBA), overseeing brand, creative, and multi-platform fan marketing globally. She was charged with elevating brand perception, cultural connection, and fan engagement during the NBA Restart and the 2020-21 season. Prior to that, Lee spent four years at Spotify as Global Vice President of Partner Solutions where she was responsible for developing go-to-market strategies and growing global revenue across music, podcasts, and high-impact digital experiences. Under her leadership, Spotify was named Media Brand of the Year at the 2018 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. A marketing veteran, Lee has also held roles at Vevo, AT&T, Showtime, and AOL.
Lee was named one of Billboard’s Branding Power Players in 2019 and Adweek’s Top 50 Most Indispensable Executives in Marketing, Media, and Technology from 2016-2018. She is currently a board member of American fashion retailer L Brands whose flagship brands include Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works.
She received her MBA in Marketing and Media Management from Columbia Business School and holds a BA in Political Science from Columbia University.
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THE HEADLINES
Should the state step in to save our live music scene? (see Features)
Gary Roden exits Co-op Live following troubled venue launch (see News)
Spotify talks growth, bundle royalties and short-video plans (see Digital)
BPI CEO calls on music industry and government to unite around 5 key priorities to support human artistry and sustainably promote British music (see News)
Hipgnosis Song Management fires back at Songs Fund board (see Business)
Blackstone bid for Hipgnosis receives backing from board (see Business)
Taylor Swift’s new album breaks Spotify records (see News)
Independence - what’s up with that BPI press release about 2023 music consumption? (see Comment)
Creator Remuneration Working Group meet for the first time (see News)
Concord's takeover of Hipgnosis (see Analysis)
Concord set to acquire Hipgnosis Songs Fund (see Business)
Is the music industry gaslighting artists? (see Comment)
BPI’s new Yearbook highlights an independent sector growing for a sixth consecutive year (see Reports)
Can’t cross the moat? Walk around it. (see Comment)
The conversation around Fandom needs to change (see Opinion)
Viagogo: Carrying on ticketing, despite the controversy (see News)