Sony Music Publishing has promoted Katie Welle to president and head of U.S. A&R, effective Feb. 1. Welle will succeed Walter Jones, who is leaving the company after nearly three years in the role.
In her new position, which is based in Los Angeles and reports up to SMP chairman and CEO Jon Platt, Welle will lead the creative team in attracting top talent and expanding opportunities for songwriters globally.
With two decades of A&R experience at Sony Music Group, Welle started as an A&R assistant at Epic Records in 2005 and later became vp of creative at Sony Music Publishing and senior vp of A&R at RCA before rejoining SMP in 2020 as senior vp of creative.
Since then, Welle has played a key role in advancing the careers of many SMP songwriters, including Charlie Handsome and Theron Thomas, and the recently signed Tyler Johnson and Julian Bunetta.
Platt praised Welle’s talent for identifying and nurturing songwriters during her second act at SMP.
“Since she returned to SMP five years ago, she has made significant contributions to our A&R strategy, playing a pivotal role in shaping the success of numerous incredible songwriters,” he said. “Katie’s dedication and expertise are truly invaluable to our team, and I look forward to seeing the continued impact of her leadership.”
Jones, Welle’s predecessor as head of U.S. A&R, joined SMP in February 2022 after a five-year tenure at Universal Music Publishing Group. Earlier in his career, Jones held the position of vp of urban A&R at Sony/ATV, before it rebranded as SMP.
