Warner Records Reshuffles Marketing Team, Brings on Dionnee Harper as EVP

Music marketing veteran Dionnee Harper is switching labels — and coasts — for a new gig as executive vp of marketing and artist development at Warner Records, the company announced Wednesday (July 13). Harper, who is shifting from New York, where she was senior vp/head of marketing at Atlantic Records, to Warner’s Los Angeles headquarters, will oversee all the label’s marketing campaigns, reporting to Warner co-chairman/COO Tom Corson.

Harper’s appointment is part of a shift within Warner Records’ marketing department, one which will see current executive vp/head of marketing Mark Flaherty leave the company this fall. Additionally, the label’s current executive vp of urban music & marketing Chris Atlas has moved from L.A. to New York and will be “taking on a new role at the label, to be revealed in the near future,” the company said in a press release.

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“Dionnee is a true marketing superstar, and her wide-ranging creativity, deep experience, passionate dedication and closeness to culture will make her a fantastic addition to the team,” Corson said in a statement. “She’ll work with [Warner co-chairman/CEO] Aaron [Bay-Schuck] and me to evolve the identity of the label and unify our marketing strategy across all genres under one outstanding leader. Dionnee has done a phenomenal job at Atlantic and is loved by her artists and colleagues, so I want to thank [Atlantic co-chairman/COO] Julie Greenwald for helping us bring her on board. We’re looking forward to announcing an exciting new leadership role for Chris, who’s made exceptional contributions to our success. I also want to thank Mark for his great work with us over the past five years, and we wish him all the best in the future.”

Harper has been at Warner Music Group for her entire 22-year career, starting as an intern at Elektra in 2000 before moving into that label’s promotions department, then shifting into a series of escalating marketing roles at Atlantic after it merged with Elektra in 2004. During her time at Atlantic, she worked with the likes of Flo Rida, Charlie Puth, Kehlani and Kevin Gates, several of whom were signed through Mike Caren’s APG, for which she was Atlantic’s main point of contact.

The marketing shakeup is just the latest executive-level shift at Warner. Last summer, promo chief Mike Chester was promoted to a new role as executive vp of promotion and commerce, giving him oversight of not just radio but also streaming, digital and commercial accounts; in the fall, Warner hired Steve Carless as president of A&R and brought on Karen Kwak as executive vp/head of A&R.

“I’m super excited to be joining Tom, Aaron and the whole Warner Records team,” Harper said in a statement. “It’s an incredible opportunity to work with their fantastic artist roster and explore every avenue to embed their music in the culture and bring it to the fans. It’s not easy leaving all my wonderful colleagues and artists at Atlantic, but I’m very happy to be staying within the WMG family, where I’ve spent my whole career. I want to thank Julie and [Atlantic president of Black music] Mike Kyser for their amazing guidance that got me to this life-changing moment, and [Warner Music Group CEO of Recorded Music] Max Lousada for his enthusiastic support. I’m looking forward to taking everything I’ve learned over the years and helping bring the great Warner label to new heights.”