Warner Music Group names Blavatnik managing director

The agreement sets a $600,000 annual base salary and provides for good-faith discussions about an incentive plan for the Company's 2028 fiscal year.

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Warner Music Group Corp. said its subsidiary Warner Music entered an employment agreement with board member Valentin Blavatnik, who will serve as Managing Director, Warner Recorded Music, North America and UK, and Corporate Development, effective September 25, 2026. His annual base salary is $600,000.

The agreement provides for at-will employment. Mr. Blavatnik may terminate his employment with 120 days’ advance written notice, while Warner Music may terminate it at any time, subject to the agreement. Warner Music also agreed to good-faith discussions about an incentive compensation plan that would become effective in the Company’s 2028 fiscal year; the Compensation Committee will determine its terms and conditions in its sole discretion. Specified terminations may qualify for severance, subject to an effective release of claims.

8-K Event Classification

Item 1.01 — Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

1 item

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement Business

The company signed a significant contract such as a merger agreement, credit facility, or major partnership.

Key Figures

Annual base salary: $600,000 per year Employee termination notice: 120 days Employment effective date: September 25, 2026 +1 more

4 metrics

Annual base salary $600,000 per year Under Valentin Blavatnik’s employment agreement

Employee termination notice 120 days Advance written notice by Valentin Blavatnik

Employment effective date September 25, 2026 Valentin Blavatnik’s employment with Warner Music

Incentive plan fiscal year 2028 fiscal year The plan would become effective in this fiscal year, subject to good-faith discussions and terms set by the Compensation Committee

Key Terms

at-will, Good Reason, Cause, non-solicitation

4 terms

at-will regulatory

"employment will be on an at-will basis"

Good Reason regulatory

"Mr. Blavatnik terminates his employment for “Good Reason”"

Cause regulatory

"Warner Music other than for “Cause”"

non-solicitation regulatory

"customary non-solicitation and other restrictive covenants"

A non-solicitation clause is a contractual promise that one party will not actively try to lure away another party’s employees, customers, or suppliers. For investors, it signals protection of a company’s workforce and client base after a deal or partnership—reducing the risk that key staff or revenue sources will be poached and therefore helping preserve the business’s value, predictability, and post-transaction earnings. Think of it as an agreement not to knock on a neighbor’s door to take their business or team.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What role will Valentin Blavatnik have at WMG?

Valentin Blavatnik will serve as Managing Director, Warner Recorded Music, North America and UK, and Corporate Development, effective September 25, 2026. He is a member of Warner Music Group Corp.’s Board of Directors.

What salary will Valentin Blavatnik receive at WMG?

Valentin Blavatnik will receive an annual base salary of $600,000. Warner Music agreed to enter good-faith discussions with him about an incentive compensation plan that would become effective in the Company’s 2028 fiscal year, with terms determined by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion.

What are Valentin Blavatnik’s termination terms?

The agreement provides for at-will employment. Mr. Blavatnik may terminate his employment with 120 days’ advance written notice, and Warner Music may terminate it at any time, subject to the agreement. Certain specified terminations may qualify for severance, subject to his execution of an effective release of claims.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Available on EDGAR 09/25/2026 - 05:00 PM Accepted by SEC EDGAR 09/25/2026 - 05:00 PM Learn about SEC filing dates

NY false 0001319161 0001319161 2026-09-24 2026-09-24

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 25, 2026 (September 24, 2026)

Warner Music Group Corp.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware		001-32502		13-4271875
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)		(Commission File Number)		(IRS Employer Identification No.)

1633 Broadway,

New York, New York , 10019

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(212) 275-2000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2):

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class		Trading Symbol(s)		Name of each exchange on which registered
Class A Common Stock		WMG		The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On September 24, 2026, Warner Music Inc. (“Warner Music”), a subsidiary of Warner Music Group Corp. (the “Company”), entered into an employment agreement (the “Employment Agreement”) with Valentin Blavatnik, a member of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), pursuant to which Mr. Blavatnik will serve as Managing Director, Warner Recorded Music, North America and UK, and Corporate Development, effective September 25, 2026.

Under the Employment Agreement, Mr. Blavatnik’s employment will be on an at-will basis. Mr. Blavatnik may terminate his employment upon 120 days’ advance written notice, and Warner Music may terminate Mr. Blavatnik’s employment at any time, in each case subject to the terms of the Employment Agreement. Mr. Blavatnik will receive an annual base salary of $600,000. In addition, Warner Music has agreed to enter into good faith discussions with Mr. Blavatnik regarding the establishment of an incentive compensation plan that would become effective in the Company’s 2028 fiscal year, the terms and conditions of which will be determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board in its sole discretion.

If Mr. Blavatnik’s employment is terminated as a result of disability or by Warner Music other than for “Cause,” or if Mr. Blavatnik terminates his employment for “Good Reason” (each as defined in the Employment Agreement), subject to his execution of an effective release of claims, Mr. Blavatnik will be entitled to severance equal to the greater of (i) the severance that would otherwise be payable to him under Warner Music’s applicable severance policy and (ii) his then-current annual base salary, in addition to certain accrued compensation and benefits.

The Employment Agreement provides that Mr. Blavatnik’s employment will be full-time and exclusive, subject to certain exceptions, including for limited business activities for his own account and services to or on behalf of Access Industries, subject to certain conditions and restrictions relating to, among other things, confidentiality and conflicts of interest. The Employment Agreement also contains customary non-solicitation and other restrictive covenants.

The foregoing description of the Employment Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Employment Agreement, which will be filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

						Warner Music Group Corp.
Date: September 25, 2026				By:		/s/ Paul Robinson
						Paul Robinson Executive Vice President and General Counsel

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

3 documents

Other Documents

• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION SCHEMA 3.1 KB
• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION LABEL LINKBASE 16.8 KB
• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION PRESENTATION LINKBASE 10.5 KB