Sony Music Names Stephanie Yu General Counsel and Executive VP of Business and Legal

Sony Music has officially confirmed that Stephanie Yu is being promoted to the dual role of General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, a move that places her at the helm of the company's worldwide legal and policy framework. In her new capacity, she will report directly to Rob Stringer, who serves as Chairman of Sony Music Group, and Kevin Kelleher, the Chief Operating Officer. Yu takes over from Julie Swidler, whose departure earlier this summer concluded a highly regarded tenure that left substantial shoes to fill.

Stringer, a veteran of the industry who has led Sony Music since 2017 after a celebrated stint at Columbia Records, voiced unequivocal support for the decision. "Stephanie brings the perspective, strategic judgment, and composure that this critical position calls for," he stated. "Her journey through Sony Music has equipped her to take charge as our foremost legal executive, and seeing talent rise from within our own organization is a source of genuine satisfaction for me." Yu, who has dedicated over two decades to the company, shared her own perspective on the appointment: "I am deeply thankful to Rob and Kevin for placing their trust in me. Across 21 years, Sony Music has continuously encouraged me to embrace new responsibilities and evolve. I am eager to nurture that same environment of encouragement, collaborating throughout the organization to support our artists and teams in this ever-shifting landscape."

Yu's ascent is the culmination of a diverse and extensive career within the Sony ecosystem. Most recently, she spent two years as Executive Vice President and U.S. Lead of Business and Legal Affairs, where she directed legal strategy for all frontline American record labels under the corporate banner. Her association with Sony began in 2005, when she joined as a litigator after honing her skills for three years at Covington & Burling, a highly respected Washington, D.C., law firm known for its expertise in corporate and regulatory matters. In 2011, she transitioned to Epic Records—a Sony label that has launched global superstars like Travis Scott and 21 Savage—where she steadily climbed the ranks to become Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, a role she occupied for nearly a decade prior to this latest promotion.

Her impact, however, reaches well beyond the confines of corporate offices. Yu was recently recognized on Variety's Music's Legal Elite, an annual roster honoring the attorneys who help define the industry's legal terrain. She also holds a seat on the Executive Committee of the Entertainment Law Initiative, an organization dedicated to fostering legal scholarship and innovation, and has lent her time as a board member for Womankind, a nonprofit focused on supporting survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. This leadership transition comes at a moment of profound change for the music sector—marked by shifting streaming revenue models, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, and heightened regulatory oversight worldwide. Given her deep-rooted institutional knowledge and broad legal expertise, Yu is widely expected to be instrumental in guiding Sony's strategic direction through these uncharted waters.