---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001193125-22-250270"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "WMG"
cik: "0001319161"
company_name: "Warner Music Group Corp."
filed_at: "2022-09-23T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-23T07:39:47.445203+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "positive"
materiality_score: 0.7
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Warner Music names YouTube exec Robert Kyncl as CEO effective Jan 1, 2023; Cooper to retire Jan 31

## Summary
- Robert Kyncl, YouTube's Chief Business Officer, named WMG CEO effective Jan 1, 2023; will join board Feb 1.
- Stephen Cooper to retire Jan 31, 2023; Kyncl and Cooper will serve as Co-CEOs in January 2023 for transition.
- Kyncl compensation: $2M base salary, $3M target cash bonus, $10M annual PSUs, and $10M one-time option award in Jan 2024.
- Severance: $15M payment if terminated without cause or for good reason; full vesting of equity upon change in control within one year.
- Cooper retirement benefits: continued $3M salary through FY2023, two $7M RSU grants, and target $7M bonus for FY2022 & FY2023.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001193125-22-250270
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: WMG
- cik: 0001319161
- company_name: Warner Music Group Corp.
- filed_at: 2022-09-23T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: positive
- materiality_score: 0.7
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1319161/000119312522250270/0001193125-22-250270-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1319161/000119312522250270/d326061d8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-22-250270
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-22-250270.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-22-250270.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Stephen Cooper departed as Chief Executive Officer at Warner Music Group Corp..
  - Action: retire
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: On January 31, 2023, Mr. Cooper will retire from the Company and resign from the Board.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1319161/000119312522250270/0001193125-22-250270-index.htm
- Executive change
  Robert Kyncl was appointed as Chief Executive Officer at Warner Music Group Corp..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: On September 21, 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) announced that Mr. Robert Kyncl has been appointed to succeed Mr. Cooper as CEO and a director of the Company.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1319161/000119312522250270/0001193125-22-250270-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.