Merlin Strengthens Executive Leadership Team Appointing Jon Glass as General Counsel
Former Warner Music & Sony Music executive to lead Business & Legal Affairs and Partnerships.
Merlin is strengthening its global leadership team with the appointment of Jon Glass as General Counsel.
Based in New York, Glass joins Merlin following nearly two decades in senior business & legal affairs leadership roles across the global recorded music business, most recently serving as Senior Vice President, Head of Digital Legal Affairs at Warner Music Group. Prior to Warner, he worked in digital business & legal affairs at Sony Music Entertainment and practiced law at several firms, including Morrison & Foerster LLP.
Glass will report to Merlin CEO Charlie Lexton and will lead Merlin’s Business & Legal Affairs function while also assuming responsibility for the organisation’s Partnerships team. The appointment reflects Merlin’s continued progression, bringing together two closely aligned partner-facing functions under a single leadership structure.
Charlie Lexton, CEO of Merlin, said, “Jon is one of the most respected legal executives in the digital music business. He brings an exceptional combination of legal expertise and commercial judgement with a highly developed understanding of the opportunities and complexities facing Merlin. As the digital playing field continues to evolve, we need to ensure we are coordinated in the way we think about the relationships we build with our partners. Bringing our Business & Legal Affairs and Partnerships teams together under Jon’s leadership is designed to do exactly that and will help us deliver even greater value for our members. I am delighted to welcome Jon to Merlin.”
Jon Glass said, “I want to thank Charlie for this opportunity. Merlin has built an extraordinary reputation across the industry, and I’m excited to be joining at such an important time for independent music. Over the course of my career, I’ve watched the digital business develop from downloads to streaming, social platforms, and now AI services. I’m looking forward to putting that experience to work for Merlin, its members, and the independent artists those members represent, and working alongside the team here on the organisation’s future legal and partnerships strategy.”
