Warner Music appoints former Activision Blizzard executive as finance chief

(Reuters) - Warner Music Group, the label behind artists such as Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa, has appointed former Activision Blizzard executive Armin Zerza as its finance chief, the music entertainment company said on Monday.

He will succeed Bryan Castellani from May 5, with the incumbent stepping down after around one and a half years.

Zerza, who served as Activision Blizzard's CFO and chief commercial officer, joined the video game maker in August 2015 and played a pivotal role in the company's $69-billion acquisition by Microsoft.

Before that, he served more than two decades in senior leadership positions at Procter & Gamble.

"He'll help us evolve our long-term strategy and build WMG for the lasting benefit of our artists, songwriters, investors, employees, and partners," Warner Music CEO Robert Kyncl said.

Zerza's appointment comes at a time when Warner Music, which owns labels such as Atlantic Records and Parlophone, has been looking to boost its revenue through moves such as a multi-year deal with Spotify in February.

The company had then also acquired a controlling stake in Tempo Music, with which it gaining rights for songs by artists such as Bruno Mars, Adele and Wiz Khalifa.

(Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo)

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