Michael Chester Joins Warner Bros. Records as Executive VP of Promotion

By Variety Staff

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Michael Chester has been appointed Executive Vice President, Promotion for Warner Bros. Records, the company announced today. In his new post, he will oversee all aspects of the label’s promotion initiatives and strategies. Chester comes to the label from Scooter Braun’s SB Projects, where he served as SVP, Marketing and Promotion, working closely with Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and many other artists. Chester will be based in Los Angeles and will report to Co-Chairman & COO Tom Corson.

In making the announcement, Tom Corson said, “Over the past two decades, Mike has played a central role in breaking countless hit records and building the careers of a string of iconic artists. As the media landscape continues to shift and evolve, his experience, passion, and ingenuity will be invaluable in helping shape our artist development strategies. Mike is one of the most accomplished and respected people in our business, and I’m very happy to welcome him to our senior management team.”

Michael Chester commented, “I’m thrilled to be joining this iconic label and the incredible promotion department at such an exciting time in the company’s evolution. Warner Bros. Records has a fantastic roster of incredible new talent and legendary artists, and I’m looking forward to doing my part to give their music world-class exposure, devotion, and support. I’d like to thank Tom and Aaron for this wonderful new opportunity.”

Chester joined SB Projects in 2015 from Def Jam Recordings, where he spent over a decade in the promotion department – first at Island Def Jam (IDJ), and then at Def Jam when the two labels separated. While at IDJ, Chester held multiple positions, including Director of West Coast Promotion, Senior Director of Top 40 Promotion, and Vice President of Promotion.

Chester started his career at Arista Records in New York, followed by a stint in Chicago as Director of Midwest Promotion. He then moved to Los Angeles to oversee local promotion for Atlantic Records before joining IDJ in 2004.