Ari Taitz Named Chief Operating Officer, ADA Worldwide
Kenny Weagly, SVP, A&R and Label Services to Take on Global Responsibilities
ADA, the independent distribution and services arm of Warner Music Group (WMG), today announced two key appointments in its senior management team that will help accelerate the strengthening of the company’s worldwide footprint, while extending ADA’s leading position in the US. Both executives will report directly to Mike Jbara, President, ADA Worldwide.
Ari Taitz has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, ADA Worldwide, and will work closely with Jbara to help shape the global strategy and operations of ADA. Taitz’s responsibilities in this newly created role will include overseeing the legal & business affairs, finance and logistics functions of ADA around the world.
Kenny Weagly is expanding his role as Senior Vice President, A&R and Label Services, ADA Worldwide, with a global remit to attract new artists and labels to the ADA community. Kenny—who arrived at ADA last year, when Independent Label Group (ILG) was combined with ADA—will also continue to lead the development of a comprehensive range of global services for the indie community.
“Over the course of the past year, we’ve focused on deepening our relationships with both long-term partners and new members to our family, by further developing and enhancing our suite of world-class services,” said Jbara. “Ari and Kenny have played major roles in ADA’s strong performance and success in attracting and meeting the needs of extraordinary indie talent. Together, our goal is to build on ADA’s reputation as the first-choice partner of the indie community, by expanding our ability to move as a swift, cohesive global unit, and deliver powerful, innovative opportunities for extraordinary music.”
Taitz previously served as SVP, Business Affairs and Development, WEA and ADA. In that position, Ari advised on business development strategy as well as managed a team to implement and execute business and legal affairs efforts, including for digital operations, digital sales, licensing and distribution. He initially joined the Warner Music Group as Director, Business and Legal Affairs at Atlantic Records in 2000, and was subsequently promoted to Senior Director and then Vice President in 2004, where he was primarily responsible for negotiating and drafting agreements with recording artists, labels and technology companies. He then joined WMG’s corporate legal department in 2005 as Vice President and Assistant Counsel where he worked on a series of record label and distribution company acquisitions before moving to WEA in 2007.
Kenny Weagly joined WMG from Island Def Jam in 2004. While overseeing the full label service efforts for the artists and labels under ILG, Kenny ran successful album campaigns for artists such as Atmosphere, Dropkick Murphys, and The Devil Wears Prada, as well as a No.1 debut for CAKE. Since helping to combine ILG and ADA, and taking on the role of SVP, A&R and Label Services for ADA, Kenny has helped secure deals with a variety of artists and labels, including Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, PRMD Records / LE7ELS, Innovative Leisure, The End Records, and Danny Brown.
About ADA
Alternative Distribution Alliance was created in 1993 to focus on the independent music business, where some of the biggest music acts have built their initial followings. Today, Alternative Distribution Alliance is recognized as the leading distributor of independent record labels, handling labels such as Sub Pop, Matador, Epitaph, Domino, Comedy Central, Merge, Secretly Canadian, Rise, Nettwerk, Beggars Music Group, Side One/Dummy, New West, Sumerian, Dualtone, Surfdog and Third Man.
Source: Alternative Distribution Alliance
