Global Rights Management Expert Claire McAuley Upped at Warner Chappell Music

Claire McAuley lands a promotion at Warner Chappell Music (WCM), where she’s named executive vice president, global rights management, a new position.

McAuley’s expanded role reflects the changes in the way rights management is handled at the major music publisher, and should step up payments to writers worldwide.

What was previously seen as “a largely administrative function is now a proactive division seeking to maximize songwriters’ revenue, working with international partners in the global music economy,” reads a statement announcing McAuley’s elevation.

Based in London, McAuley reports to Carianne Marshall, co-chair and COO of WCM. “Claire is an incredibly talented executive who has significantly moved the needle for our songwriters,” Marshall explains. “She’s taken a proactive approach to tapping new revenue streams and is constantly looking for ways to streamline our processes to ensure that our writers are paid what they deserve.” Her “global, long-term approach continues to be exactly what we need as we thoughtfully grow our business.” 

Following stints with BMG Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing, the U.K. Music Publishers Association (MPA) and elsewhere, McAuley joined WCM in 2018 as VP, operations. The following year, she promoted to senior VP, global administration.

In that time, McAuley has spearheaded strategic upgrades to WCM’s systems to speed up payments to writers. Also, reads a statement, she’s helped launch platforms designed to recover missing royalties, secure additional revenue for writers in emerging markets, and better track the global use of songwriters’ music across digital music platforms, as well as in film and TV production.

“We’ve made considerable investments in our people and our systems over the past few years, and our songwriters are already noticing the benefits of these changes,” she explains in a statement. “But there’s even more we can do as the music ecosystem continues to evolve.”

Currently, she’s a member of the board of directors of the MPA and the Mechanical Licensing Collective.

WCM came in third (with 15.73% share) among publisher radio airplay rankings, Billboard reports in its Publishers Quarterly for the last quarter of 2022.

For the same period, the WMC came ranked third (with 18.59% share) for publisher Hot 100 rankings.