Will Tanous
Will Tanous is Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, and a member of Universal Music Group’s Executive Management Board. He plays a key role in the development of the company’s business strategy, oversees several major strategic and corporate endeavors, as well as managing worldwide external and internal communications, global public policy, investor and government relations, event functions and social responsibility. Tanous also oversees the interaction and coordination of the communications functions of UMG’s operating companies in more than 60 countries.
Immediately prior to UMG, Tanous served as Executive Vice President of Communications & Marketing for Warner Music Group (WMG). At WMG, Tanous served in a variety of positions responsible for that company’s communications, investor relations, corporate marketing and branding, social responsibility and event efforts. While at WMG, Tanous developed and implemented communication and business strategies for all of the company’s major corporate endeavors, including: the 2011 sale of WMG to Access Industries, Inc.; WMG’s initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 2005; and the sale of WMG by Time Warner Inc. to a private equity consortium. He also is the co-creator of the HBO series Reverb. The critically acclaimed program, for which he served as producer and executive producer, aired for four seasons and was the highest-rated, regularly-scheduled music program on television.
Tanous is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington D.C. In 2019, he was awarded the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which is presented annually to U.S. citizens “who have distinguished themselves within their own ethnic groups while exemplifying the values of the American way of life.” He resides in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.
