Stephanie Yu promoted to General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs at Sony Music
Sony Music has promoted Stephanie Yu to General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs, putting her in charge of the company's global business, legal and governmental affairs strategy. She takes over from Julie Swidler, who departed at the end of June after 18 years in the role, and will report to Chairman Rob Stringer and COO Kevin Kelleher, both of whom praised her as a long-serving internal candidate ready for the top legal position.
Yu joined Sony Music in 2005 as a litigator after three years at law firm Covington & Burling, later spending nine years as EVP of Business and Legal Affairs at Epic Records before returning to a Sony Music-wide EVP role covering US frontline labels for over two years. During her career at the company she has helped shape legal approaches to generative AI, championed the Artists Forward transparency initiative, and been repeatedly named to Billboard's Women In Music power list; she also sits on the Entertainment Law Initiative's Executive Committee and has served on the board of the charity Womankind.
In short
- Stephanie Yu named Sony Music's General Counsel and EVP, Business and Legal Affairs.
- She succeeds Julie Swidler, who left after 18 years in the post.
- Yu has been at Sony Music since 2005, including nine years at Epic Records.
Explained simply
Sony Music is a global record company that releases music through labels including Epic Records. Its business and legal affairs teams handle matters such as contracts, rights, regulation and negotiations with artists and other companies.
The general counsel is the company’s senior legal leader, while the executive vice-president title reflects a senior role in its management. Stephanie Yu has worked at Sony Music since 2005, including leading business and legal affairs at Epic Records and later overseeing those matters for US frontline labels.
The role can shape how Sony Music responds to changes affecting the music industry, including new technology and questions about artists’ rights and transparency. Yu’s remit also includes the company’s governmental affairs strategy.
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