Stephen F. Cooper has been the CEO of Warner Music Group since 2011. His leadership began during a significant transformation period for the company, which has seen remarkable growth under his guidance. He earned a B.A. from Occidental College and...

Stephen F. Cooper has been the CEO of Warner Music Group since 2011. His leadership began during a significant transformation period for the company, which has seen remarkable growth under his guidance. He earned a B.A. from Occidental College and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business, grounding him in finance and strategic thinking. In 2023, Cooper’s total compensation reached over $10 million, showcasing his alignment with the company's performance-driven culture. Interestingly, in 2022, his annual bonus was tied to the value of Warner Music's stock, with the market performance reflecting the overall health of the business. Cooper also navigated the company through the challenges of COVID-19, focusing on maintaining operations and supporting artists during tough times. With his retirement coming up in early 2023, Cooper will transition out but stay as a consultant to help with the leadership change. His role has significantly impacted the music industry, marking WMG as one of the leading players in music rights and services globally.

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1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Warner Music Group CEOs

W

Stephen F. Cooper

CEO of Warner Music Group

Education

B.A. from Occidental College and M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business

Field of Expertise

Finance & Banking - Finance

Sector of Economy

Communication Services

Born

January 1, 1957 - 68 years ago

CEO of Warner Music Group for

13 years 9 months (Aug 2011 - Present)

Previous Experience

Chairman of the Board of Warner Music Group Corp., Vice Chairman of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Stephen F. Cooper

Holdings

See how much did Stephen F. Cooper make over time.

Stephen Cooper’s financial interest in Warner Music Group is notable. He has received numerous grants of restricted stock units (RSUs) that connect his wealth closely to the company's stock performance. In 2023, his vested stock holding was valued at approximately...

Stephen Cooper’s financial interest in Warner Music Group is notable. He has received numerous grants of restricted stock units (RSUs) that connect his wealth closely to the company's stock performance. In 2023, his vested stock holding was valued at approximately $6.4 million. His total compensation peaked at around $19 million in 2022. This structure reflects an emphasis on performance, tying much of his earnings to how well the company does in the market. Interestingly, Cooper once had a substantial part of his wealth tied up in stock grants. However, following a transformation after the IPO process, and given that his major stock interests were redeemed in 2020, his current holdings are more straightforward but still substantial. His commitment to the company's success is evident as a significant part of his potential earnings remains aligned with stockholder interests.

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Total Stock Sold

$17.83M

WMG

$17.83M

557,000 WMG shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Stephen F. Cooper didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra WMG557,000 shares worth $17.27M.
This is -3.16% and $562.57K less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Charitable Transactions

LYB

32,751 shares

LYB

Recent Charitable Transactions

LYB

17,132 shares

LYB

Jan 12, 2021

Charity

LYB

15,619 shares

LYB

Jan 4, 2021

Charity

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Stephen F. Cooper.

WMG

418,818 shares

WMG

Jan 4, 2023

Received

LYB

236 shares

LYB

Jun 30, 2022

Received

LYB

313 shares

LYB

Mar 31, 2022

Received

WMG

380,761 shares

WMG

Jan 3, 2022

Received

LYB

336 shares

LYB

Dec 31, 2021

Received

LYB

321 shares

LYB

Sep 30, 2021

Received

LYB

288 shares

LYB

Jun 30, 2021

Received

LYB

1,531 shares

LYB

May 27, 2021

Received

LYB

310 shares

LYB

Mar 31, 2021

Received

WMG

189,856 shares

WMG

Jan 12, 2021

Received

Compensation History

See how much did Stephen F. Cooper make over time.

In 2023, Stephen Cooper had a total compensation of approximately $10.1 million. This included a base salary of $3 million and a bonus of about $7.1 million, paid in fully vested shares of Warner Music’s stock. The structure of his compensation is built to connect his financial success with the health of the company, using performance metrics that include revenue and adjusted OIBDA. His salary remained consistent over the past several years, but his bonuses have fluctuated significantly, indicating that his rewards are tied directly to how well Warner Music performs relative to its goals. Notably, much of his bonus for 2021 was based on achieving strategic objectives while navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. This performance-driven approach has been a hallmark of Cooper's tenure.

Year

2023

Total Compensation

$16.54M

Salary

$3.00M

Board Justification

The compensation program is designed to align the interests of executive officers with those of stockholders, with a significant portion of compensation being variable and tied to performance objectives.

Bonus

$7.14M

Board Justification

The bonus for fiscal year 2023 was payable in the form of 234,498 fully-vested shares of Class A Common Stock, based on the average daily closing price of the stock for the fiscal year.

Other

$0.00

Board Justification

No additional compensation or benefits were reported for Mr. Cooper in fiscal year 2023.

Restricted Stock

$6.40M(203.79K RSU)

Board Justification

The RSUs granted on January 4, 2023, vesting on the fourth anniversary of the grant date, subject to continued compliance with non-competition and non-solicitation provisions.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics for determining compensation include Adjusted OIBDA and revenue.

Other Warner Music Group CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Warner Music Group

Edgar Bronfman, Jr.

Ex-CEO of Warner Music Group

July 2006 - August 2011

Eric Levin

CEO of Warner Music Group

October 2014 - Present