BEN KLINE & CRIS LACY Serious Fun

Four years ago, Warner Music Nashville Chairman/ CEO John Esposito began discussing his retirement internally, and laid out a succession plan for the company’s leadership. On Jan. 1, EVP/GM Ben Kline EVP/A&R Cris Lacy officially began their tenures as Co-Chairs. Navigating that transition and pointing the label toward the future is an ongoing learning process they are clearly embracing.

What were your reactions?

CL: We had a conversation with each other, because the first thing you want to know is if who you’re putting together want to be together. I remember Ben saying, “I’m ready to do this. I want to do this with you. I’m ready. I’m excited. I feel like we’re going to win.”

BK: But we had to be completely on the same page, or else it doesn’t work. Before we talked to each other, the thought was, “Wow, what an honor.” We didn’t see this coming.

Did you have to set ground rules and division-of-labor? How long did that take?

CL: We’re still doing it.

BK: There is probably an assumption that anything operational somehow falls in my world, and anything creative falls in hers. But she knows more about the day-to-day operations of this company than most people realize. And I try to stay informed in the creative space, because when you’re leading a company, you need to know everything that’s happening. And we both lean in on the things we’ve spent years doing, are particularly good at, and that have helped get us here.

CL: It’s been fun getting Ben’s input because, prior to this, we didn’t have a lot of creative conversations. Our roles were more separate, but it didn’t take my team long. The calendar fl ipped, and my A&R people were immediately emailing everything to Ben. The key is, it’s very open and honest. There’s mutual respect, but we are identifying on a consistent basis the ways we’re different – both to have a better understanding of each other, but also to maximize what we bring to the company. It happens daily when we’re sitting in a meeting or with a coach going over a hypothetical. It’s about being present and recognizing when things we’re working on outside the offi ce are presenting themselves in the offi ce. We are constantly focused on it.

BK: The music business in 2023 and the convergence of technology makes this a huge job with more spokes than ever before. So, it’s incredibly helpful that we’re not solving the same problems at the same time because that’s not efficient. We love each other, but we’re going to disagree and have battles. But I have more respect for Cris Lacy’s knowledge and expertise in the songwriter-artist-song world than anyone else. I’m super comfortable leaning into the things I’m good at, knowing she’s got that.

CL: Same for me, and the thing that shows up is safety. I feel safe, because I have no background in business structure or management. I’ve had some coaching and have managed, but people get degrees in these areas. Ben has managed large groups of people in several different iterations. Mine is smaller groups of creatives. I don’t know how I would do this job if I didn’t know Ben is holding up that end of it. Obviously, I’m learning that stuff, and we trade-off at times, but that’s a really good place to start.

As big a job as running a label is, where is the tipping point between the benefit of splitting the role and the additional effort required in learning to work together and keep each other informed?

CL: I don’t think the effort ever outweighed the benefit, because we’ve been working together at the same company for a long time. It wasn’t bringing two people in who don’t know each other. Espo built a really good company and system that’s already working. We started with a leg up.

BK: We got advice early on to have the first call we make every morning be to each other.

“Here’s what happened overnight or late yesterday. This is what I’m focused on today. Heads up, this is coming our way.” That one little tip has proven to be invaluable. It helps me stop and consider decisions. Nothing is final until Cris and I talk. I’ve changed my mind overnight on certain things in anticipation of that call.

Any other “a-ha” moments or advice you picked up as you worked toward this during those three under-the-radar years?

BK: There were a few corporate or global calls I’d never been invited to before. Like, “Hmm. That’s curious.” and

CL: There was a dinner where we were courting an artist, and I remember being so excited because you could sit there and talk international all night long. I could really see the two different styles and how it was additive.

BK: But we weren’t born into these roles. We already had really big jobs. I had been promoted into GM, so frankly was more concerned with the new departments that rolled up to me – getting to know those people and how it all works.

Cris, you mentioned coaching. Is that a regularly scheduled endeavor or something you can tap as needed?

CL: It’s both.

BK: I’ve had an executive coach for a while. As a lifetime learner, it’s something that’s important to me – honest feedback from someone who’s not in