Warner Music Group has announced the appointment of Lo Ting-Fai, known as Lofai, as President of Warner Music Asia-Pacific (APAC).
Starting on Monday (August 11), he will be based in Hong Kong, reporting to Robert Kyncl, CEO of WMG, who announced plans to appoint a head of APAC last year amid a broader restructuring of the company’s senior leadership.
At that time, Kyncl also confirmed the multi-territory oversight of other major regions, with Simon Robson taking charge of EMEA (including the UK), and Alejandro Duque continuing to lead LATAM.
Lofai will now oversee all recorded music territory heads across the Asia-Pacific region, a key market for WMG’s global growth strategy.
News of his appointment arrives on the same day that WMG announced its calendar Q2 earnings results, with underlying recorded music revenues up 8.3% YoY on a constant currency basis.
Warner Music is looking to meet at least one key challenge in APAC: in May, Robert Kyncl cited “market share pressure in China” as one of the factors behind WMG’s slower recorded music growth in calendar Q1.
Lofai’s appointment as head of APAC fits into Kyncl’s plan to strengthen Warner’s presence in the region’s fast-changing music scene.
Lofai joins WMG from telecoms giant PCCW, where he served as CEO of MakerVille, an entertainment company specializing in content creation, artist management, and live events, and as COO of the OTT regional streaming platform Viu. In addition to his executive leadership, having written songs under the pseudonym “Yu Ri.”
Lofai said of his appointment at WMG: “I’m excited to be taking up this incredible role. WMG has been rewriting the rules when it comes to how a music company works in our changing industry, and it has massive ambitions for growth in the APAC region.
“I look forward to collaborating with Robert and WMG’s teams around the world as we help more Asian artists hit the global stage, strengthen our incredible catalog, and find fresh, innovative ways to build passionate, loyal fanbases.”
“Lofai will oversee many of our highest priority markets both today and in the future, with culturally diverse music scenes, filled with next generation talent and iconic copyrights.”
Robert Kyncl, Warner Music Group
On Lofai’s new role, Kyncl commented: “Lofai will oversee many of our highest priority markets both today and in the future, with culturally diverse music scenes, filled with next generation talent and iconic copyrights.
“He brings his creative flair, business acumen, and connections throughout the digital economy to this super important role. Together, we’re committed to finding and developing artists with massive creative and commercial impact, evolving our suite of services, and growing our market share across the region.”
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Lofai began his career in radio before transitioning into advertising, where he brought his creative talent to global agencies including Wieden+Kennedy and CTWCM. He later served as Apple’s Creative Director for Asia Pacific before joining PCCW in 2010.
His academic background includes studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the University of Oxford, and Harvard Business School.
Warner Music hired Sherry Tan as Head of Recorded Music for Mainland China in 2021, underscoring the company’s ongoing investment in the region’s potential.Music Business Worldwide
