TikTok’s top music executive, Ole Obermann, is set to leave the company next month. Obermann played a pivotal role in transforming TikTok into a significant player in the music industry. His exit coincides with a challenging period for TikTok as it faces a potential ban in the United States.
According to a source familiar with the situation, Obermann’s departure will take effect in March. Since joining TikTok in 2019, he has been instrumental in expanding the platform beyond its initial focus as a lip-syncing app to become a major force within the music sector.
As the global head of music business development at TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, Obermann has overseen the long-term strategy for music, including essential rights negotiations. His team has been actively involved in building relationships with record labels and independent artists, facilitating live interactions with creators, and managing licensing contracts. Music Business Worldwide was the first to report on Obermann’s impending exit.
In recent years, TikTok has evolved into a dominant social media platform, significantly impacting the music business by reshaping music marketing and aiding the discovery of numerous new artists. During Obermann’s leadership, the company introduced multiple music-related initiatives, including a dedicated music streaming app, an artist distribution service dubbed SoundOn, a SiriusXM channel, and a live concert series called TikTok in the Mix.
Last year, he also steered TikTok through a critical contract dispute with Universal Music Group, a major record label.
Obermann’s career prior to TikTok includes serving as the chief digital officer at Warner Music Group, where he facilitated the company’s first agreement with Facebook. Additionally, he was previously the executive vice president of global digital partner development at Sony Music, where he contributed to the company’s inaugural deal with Spotify and enhanced its digital analytics strategies.
His departure arrives at a precarious time for TikTok, which has a deadline of April 5 to identify a new owner for its U.S. assets in compliance with a law requiring parent company ByteDance to divest or cease operations in the country.
