Senior executive moves: Nordström to head Warner, Mushroom promotes Maund

Image: Chris Maund (left),Niko Nordström

Two major Australian music companies, Warner Music Australia and Mushroom Group, are expecting to generate new activity after making senior leadership changes.

Warner Music Australasia has a new President, Niko Nordström, who will be based in its Sydney headquarters in coming weeks.

Nordström was previously Vice President, Warner Music Nordics and Managing Director of Warner Music Finland. He showed true leadership qualities and was a champion of artists.

As head of Finland operations since 2007, he doubled its market share. Last year Warner Finland had the #1 album for 24 weeks and #1 for 23 weeks, and had an average weekly airplay share of 42%.

Over the past two years, the Finland roster cleaned up at the Emma awards (the Finnish Grammys equivalent) and was named Major Label of the Year for eight years in a row at the Music & Media Industry Awards.

Stu Bergen, CEO, International and Global Commercial Services for Warner Music Group (WMG), to whom Nordström reports, said that as leader of Warner’s Finland operations, “he has nurtured local artists and broken international stars, while doubling our market share in one of the world’s most advanced subscription markets.

“One of WMG’s true stars, he’ll be bringing his exceptional management skills, artist development chops, and streaming knowledge to this important post.

“I’m excited to see what Niko, our outstanding local team, and our extraordinary artists achieve together.”

He replaces Tony Harlow, who moves to President of WEA Corp., WMG’s global artist and label services arm.

Meantime, in a move to see more cohesive activity, Mushroom Group of Companies has promoted Chris Maund to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) for labels and publishing.

Reporting to Michael and Matt Gudinski, Melbourne-based Maund will oversee and drive the operations for all the Mushroom Group’s labels (Liberation, Liberator, Ivy League, 100s + 1000s, I OH YOU and Soothsayer) and the highly lucrative music publishing arm, Mushroom Music.

He joined the group ten years ago. Until recently he had the dual role of Managing Director of Ivy League Records (The Rubens, Cloud Control, Alpine) and Director of Legal & Business Affairs, for The Mushroom Group.

“Chris has been a key part of the Mushroom team for a decade now and his move into this newly created role is a natural progression for both him and the Mushroom Group,” said Michael Gudinski, Chairman of the Mushroom Group.

“Mushroom Publishing has been a force to be reckoned with for some time now and our labels have gone from strength to strength in recent years with a significant increase in both our domestic and international roster.

“With Chris overseeing the Group’s recording and publishing divisions we feel confident that our position as Australia’s leading independent entertainment group will continue to flourish as we respond to the many new and exciting opportunities available to the music industry.”

Maund added, “I’m honoured that Michael and Matt have given me this fantastic opportunity.

“These are great companies, home to so many amazing artists and staffed with so many talented people.

“The strength of Mushroom’s recording and publishing divisions over such a long time is extraordinary and we are going to work closer, with all parts of the Mushroom Group, to take every opportunity that the rapid changes in our industries present.”