Warner Music MENA Expands Regional Leadership

Warner Music Group (WMG) today announced a strategic expansion of its Middle East and North Africa (MENA) leadership team as the company continues to position itself for growth across one of the world’s fastest-growing music regions.

Ahmed Nureni has been promoted to Managing Director, MENA, reporting to President of EMEA, Recorded Music, Guillermo Gonzalez. Highly respected music executive Ahmad Alghawanmeh joins the company as General Manager, MENA, reporting directly to Nureni.

Nureni will oversee Warner Music’s MENA’s overarching vision, corporate development, strategic joint ventures, and catalog expansion across all markets.

Alghawanmeh joins WMG from Sony Music Entertainment, where he served as Vice President, Revenue & Growth Strategy, developing high-impact partnerships to scale artists’ reach and commercial revenue. As General Manager, Alghawanmeh will lead commercial growth, business development, market expansion initiatives, and multi-territory operational delivery for the region.

The appointments will further accelerate momentum for Warner Music MENA across its operations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Morocco, following the full integration of Qanawat Music into ADA, which established a premier distribution engine for the region.

Ahmed Nureni said: “I’m excited to be stepping into this new role at Warner Music MENA. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved in the region over the last few years, but know there is so much more opportunity for growth and development. With Ahmad joining our team, we are now in the best position to capitalise on these opportunities and become the number one destination for artists across the Arab world.”

Ahmad Alghawanmeh added: “I’m delighted to join Ahmed and the talented teams across the region at such a pivotal moment for Warner Music and the industry. The Arab world has a rich and dynamic creative culture. By combining WMG’s global resources with our local expertise, we’re well positioned to be an empowering home for Arab artists and a strong partner in driving their commercial and creative growth.”

Guillermo Gonzalez concluded: “MENA continues to be one of the fastest-growing music markets in the world, and Warner Music is committed to staying at the forefront of that momentum. Ahmed has done an outstanding job building our presence in the region over the last several years, and will develop this further in his new role, while, in Ahmad we are adding an executive with sharp commercial instincts, deep regional relationships, and a proven track record in digital strategy. And with ADA x Qanawat giving us an unrivaled label and services offering, we are in prime position for our next era of growth.”

Nureni was appointed General Manager of Warner Music MENA in 2022 following WMG’s acquisition of Qanawat Music. He has since grown WMG’s footprint across the region with high-profile strategic moves – including a joint venture with Riyadh-based Merwas to launch a dedicated Saudi and Gulf record label, a strategic investment in GCC talent agency HuManagement, and major artist signings, including Egyptian pop superstar Tamer Hosny.

Alghawanmeh joined the music industry in 2013, starting as a Digital Account Manager at Universal Music Group. He rose to Senior Digital Partnership Manager before joining Sony Music Entertainment as Associate Director, Digital Sales and Revenue in 2018. During his tenure he was promoted to Director of Digital Business and Partner Growth, and ultimately to Vice President, Revenue & Growth. Over the last eight years, he has played a key role in advancing the MENA music ecosystem through innovative collaborations with local and global partners, achieving groundbreaking milestones for the region’s artists.