Billboard‘s Global Power Players list recognizes the leaders that are driving the success of the music business in countries outside the United States. Warner Music Japan’s President & CEO, Takeshi Okada, was chosen from the music industry leaders of the world for inclusion in the list for the first time. Billboard JAPAN interviewed Okada in recognition of his selection for the list, covering a wide range of topics, such as artists expanding their activity scopes overseas and the potential of the superfan market.
In December 2024, you were appointed the new President and CEO of Warner Music Japan. Roughly a year and a half have passed since then. How has it been for you?
Takeshi Okada: Ever since I joined the company, I have expressed my strong desire to leverage the Warner Music Group’s global network and the expertise of individual markets to support Japanese artists on the global stage. We are now beginning to see the fruits of those efforts. Momentum to support Japanese talent has been growing at our global headquarters and various international affiliates. We’ve established a framework for strategic coordination. I feel confident that, going forward, we will continue to deliver strong results not just in Japan, but globally. In May of this year, Number_i signed a label deal with America’s prestigious Atlantic Records.
