Dionnee Harper is joining Warner Records as Executive Vice President of Marketing & Artist Development, effective September 15th. The widely admired industry leader is currently Senior Vice President, Head of Marketing at Warner Music Group sister label Atlantic Records. In her new post, Harper will oversee Warner’s marketing strategy across all genres, while working closely with the company’s various departments. She will relocate from New York to the label’s Downtown Los Angeles headquarters and report to Warner Records Co-Chairman and COO Tom Corson.
In the course of her career, Harper has worked closely with artists such as Charlie Puth, Kevin Gates, Kehlani, B.o.B, Flo Rida, and many more. She also served as Atlantic’s primary liaison with Mike Caren’s successful APG label. Harper has played a key role in shaping Atlantic’s world-class Black Music department and has been an influential guide and mentor to the next generation of Atlantic executives.
At the same time, it was announced that Chris Atlas, Warner’s EVP, Urban Music & Marketing, who recently relocated to New York City, will be taking on a new role at the label, to be revealed in the near future. In addition, Mark Flaherty, Warner Records’ current EVP, Head of Marketing, has decided to leave the company. To ensure a seamless transition, he will remain in his post until Harper’s arrival this fall.
“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,” said Tom Corson. “She’ll work with Aaron 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 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.”
“I’m super excited to be joining Tom, Aaron, and the whole Warner Records team,” said Dionnee Harper. “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 Mike Kyser for their amazing guidance that got me to this life-changing moment, and 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.”
Harper has spent her entire 22-year career with Warner Music Group, and with her new appointment at Warner Records, she will have worked at all three of the company’s frontline labels. Right out of college, she joined Elektra Entertainment Group as in intern in 2000. Just a month later, she was hired as an assistant in the label’s Urban/Mixshow Promotions Department. In 2004, when Elektra merged with Atlantic Records, she became Urban Marketing Coordinator, climbing the ranks to Product Manager, Senior Director, Vice President, and her current SVP post.
Harper holds a BS degree in Consumer Studies from Syracuse University.
