Exhibit 20 

 

Case 2:23-cv-00576-JRG-RSP Document 26-29 Filed 01/29/24 Page 1 of 5 PageID #: 1400
1/6/24, 12:28 AM Warner Music Nashville Announces Leadership Transition - Warner Music Group

https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-nashville-announces-leadership-transition-36436 1/4

Widely Admired Execs Ben Kline and Cris Lacy Appointed Co-Presidents of Hitmaking Country Division

Industry Luminary John “Espo” Esposito Named Chairman Emeritus

Warner Music Nashville (WMN) today ocially announced a transition in its top leadership. Current EVP & General

Manager Ben Kline and EVP of A&R Cris Lacy have been promoted to Co-Presidents of the highly successful country

FEATURED

WarnerMusic

NashvilleAnnounces

LeadershipTransition

June 2, 2022

SHARE:

Case 2:23-cv-00576-JRG-RSP Document 26-29 Filed 01/29/24 Page 2 of 5 PageID #: 1401
1/6/24, 12:28 AM Warner Music Nashville Announces Leadership Transition - Warner Music Group

https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-nashville-announces-leadership-transition-36436 2/4

division of Warner Recorded Music. Chairman & CEO John Esposito willremain in his role through the end of the year and

will transition to Chairman Emeritus at the top of 2023.

The WMN rosterincludes chat-topping atists such as Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Dan + Shay, Brett Eldredge, Cole

Swindell, Zac Brown Band, Ashley McBryde, and an array of skyrocketing atists who represent the genre’s next generation,

among them Ingrid Andress, Cody Johnson, Gabby Barrett, Bailey Zimmerman, and Ian Munsick, just to name a few.

Warner Music Nashville was established in 2009 underthe direction of John Esposito to expand Warner Music Group’s

presence in Music City. Since then, the division’s market share has quadrupled. Its atists have spent more than 107 weeks

at No. 1, earning 74 chat-topping singles, more than 300 gold and platinum RIAA cetications, along with Grammy, CMA,

ACM, Billboard, AMA, and People’s Choice awards – ranging from New Atist to Entetainer of the Year. Earlierthis year,

WMN opened its newly renovated, environmentally advanced headquaters on Nashville’s historic Music Row, including

state-of-the-at work, studio, and peformance spaces.

Max Lousada, CEO, Warner Recorded Music, said, “Under Espo’s brilliant guidance overthe past 13 years, our Nashville

team has built superstar careers, attracted original new voices, innovated in the digital world, and championed the creative

community. I’ve no doubt Cris and Ben will grow and evolve our atist-rst philosophy with ingenuity, skill, and style. In the

streaming era, country music is increasingly becoming global music, and Ben and Cris make a dynamic duo to lead our

pioneering Nashville label into the future. And I’m pleased we’ll continue to have the benet of Espo’s sage advice and wideranging industry relationships.”

Cris Lacy said, “When an atist joins Warner Nashville, they’re entrusting us not only with their music, but with their dreams.

Atists are storytellers, and it’s ourjob to give them the best environment to bring those stories to life. I want to thank Espo

for building such a rich, fetile culture forreal creativity and innovation. Atists have a lot of options for getting their music

into the world, and ourteam is second to none in helping them make and deliverrecords that move the needle and open

heats. Ben and I have been working togetherfor years. I can’t wait to build upon our patnership, as we take this great

company to new heights.”

Ben Kline said, “When I came on board at WMN eight years ago, I was instantly struck not only by the tremendous level of

expetise, but by the spirit of camaraderie, collaboration, and enthusiasm that Espo fostered throughout the company. Cris

likes to call us a village, and I love that description – we’re a tightly knit group of colleagues and atists working together

within the amazing Warner Music ecosystem. Our entire team is deeply committed to custom-tailored, long-term atist

development, and I’m looking forward to working side-by-side with Cris to keep on making this the best place in the

business for country atists to reach fans around the world.”

Espo said, “I’m incredibly proud of all we’ve been able to achieve and all I know the company will achieve in the years ahead.

It’s been truly inspiring to watch Cris and Ben grow into their new roles. They’re two of the most innovative, passionate, and

devoted music people in the Nashville community, tirelessly dedicated to helping atists achieve their visions and

suppoting them at every stage of their careers. Between Ben’s business acumen and Cris’ fantastic A&R instincts, they’ll

be a world-class duo leading the best team in the business, all driven by a love of the music and the belief in authentic

atistry. My last twenty years at WMG have been the mostrewarding of my career, lled with incredible people and

experiences, and it’s been deeply gratifying to be embraced so warmly by the Nashville community.”

Ben Kline joined WMN in 2014 as VP of Revenue. In 2017, he was named SVP of Global Revenue & Touring, and two years

later, he was upped to EVP/General Manager – overseeing radio & streaming, atist development, touring, and international.

In his three decades in the music industry, Kline’s previous posts have included EVP of Sales & Marketing at Universal

Music Group, and SVP of Global Sales & Marketing at Ingrooves. He also founded and served as CEO of Brazenhead

Entetainment and VP of Sales and Marketing at Rostrum Records. Kline began his career with stints at PolyGram and

Island Records.

Cris Lacy joined WMN in 2005, following posts at Tom Collins Music Publishing, Rick Hall/FAME Publishing, Island Bound

Music, and WMG’s Warner Chappell Music. At WMN, she was upped to SVP of A&R in 2017 and EVP of A&R two years later.

Lacy has been the driving force behind the signing of many of the label’s most prominent atists, including Kenny Chesney,

Zac Brown Band, Cole Swindell, Ashley McBryde, Cody Johnson, Chris Janson, and Gabby Barrett. Lacy holds an English

degree from Nashville’s Vanderbilt University.

Case 2:23-cv-00576-JRG-RSP Document 26-29 Filed 01/29/24 Page 3 of 5 PageID #: 1402
1/6/24, 12:28 AM Warner Music Nashville Announces Leadership Transition - Warner Music Group

https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-nashville-announces-leadership-transition-36436 3/4

John Esposito joined WMG in 2002 as President & CEO of WEA Corp., WMG’s former sales & marketing division. Overthe

past two decades, he has been a pivotal player at the company during one of the most dramatic periods of change in the

industry’s history. In 2009, he relocated from New York to Nashville, charged with revitalizing and expanding WMG’s Music

City operation in the digital age. In 2016, his accomplishments were rewarded with his promotion from WMN’s President &

CEO to Chairman & CEO. Before WMG, Esposito was GM/EVP of Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJ), priorto which he held a

variety of executive positions at PolyGram, Inc.

Esposito was instrumental in forming WMG’s Center of Excellence, which brought more than 175 new jobs to Nashville. A

dedicated environmentalist, he created WMG’s environmental campaign, WMGreen, for which he was awarded the

Natural Resources Defense Council’s “Forces for Nature” honor. He also serves on Warner Music Group’s global ERG / ESG

board, helping guide large-scale corporate socialresponsibility eots. Esposito has been chairman of the board of the

Country Music Association, governor of the Nashville Chapter Board of NARAS, and an Executive Committee board

member of the Country Radio Broadcasters Association.

RECORDED MUSIC MUSIC PUBLISHING

BRANDS & MEDIA NEWS

CAREERS ABOUT

Related News

SE /JANUARY4, 2024

ARNERMUSIC SINGAPORE,

VISORAND THEMACAO

NMENTTOURISMOFFICE

BORATETO PROMOTE

O

FEATURED / DECEMBER 20, 2023

MUSICWEEK:HOWHITMAKER JOE

CORRYTRIUMPHEDASADEBUT

ALBUMARTISTWITHANOTHER

FRIDAYNIGHT

Read More

Case 2:23-cv-00576-JRG-RSP Document 26-29 Filed 01/29/24 Page 4 of 5 PageID #: 1403
1/6/24, 12:28 AM Warner Music Nashville Announces Leadership Transition - Warner Music Group

https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-music-nashville-announces-leadership-transition-36436 4/4

Contact FAQ

Social Justice Fund Investor Relations

Artist Royalties Modern Slavery Statement

UK Group Tax Strategy ESG Report

WMI GPG Report 2022 WMUK GPG Report 2022

WMI EPG Report 2022 WMUK EPG Report 2022

Leadership

COPYRIGHT © 2024 WARNER MUSIC GROUP INC. SITE MADE IN COLLABORATION WITH CMYK.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Cookie Policy

Do Not Sell Or Share My Personal Information

Case 2:23-cv-00576-JRG-RSP Document 26-29 Filed 01/29/24 Page 5 of 5 PageID #: 1404