Ceci Kurzman
Director at WMG
Board
About Ceci Kurzman
Ceci Kurzman is 55 and has served as an independent director of Warner Music Group (WMG) since October 1, 2020; she is Founder and President of Nexus Management Group, Inc. . She currently serves on WMG’s Compensation Committee and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee, contributing entertainment industry, investing, and strategic leadership experience to board oversight . WMG’s board is chaired by independent director Michael Lynton, and the company operates as a controlled company under Nasdaq standards, with certain committee independence exemptions due to Access Industries’ voting control .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nexus Management Group, Inc. | Founder & President | Not disclosed | Investment-led strategic leadership; portfolio growth focus |
| BMG | Music executive | Not disclosed | Business and marketing successes in label operations |
| Sony Music’s Epic Records | Music executive | Not disclosed | Built superstar artist careers; marketing execution |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public/Private | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man Group plc | Director | Public | Not disclosed |
| Lanvin Group | Director | Public | Not disclosed |
| Revlon | Director (prior) | Public | 12-year tenure completed; committees not disclosed |
| United Talent Agency (UTA) | Director | Private | Not disclosed |
| FC3 | Director | Private | Not disclosed |
| Tortoise Media | Director | Private | Not disclosed |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships: Compensation; Nominating & Corporate Governance .
- Independence: Board affirmatively determined Kurzman is independent under Nasdaq standards .
- Board leadership: Independent Chairman (Michael Lynton) .
- Controlled company context: Access Industries controls >50% voting; WMG uses some exemptions from full committee independence for Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance committees .
- Attendance: Board met 6 times in FY2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings on which they served .
- Executive sessions: Non-management and independent directors hold regular executive sessions .
| Committee | Role | FY2024 Meetings | Key Oversight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compensation | Member | 3 | Exec compensation oversight; CD&A report; comp risk oversight |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Member | 1 | Director nominations; governance principles; ESG oversight |
Fixed Compensation
| Item | FY2024 Amount | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $100,000 | Standard non-employee director cash retainer |
| Committee member fees | $10,000 | $5,000 per committee; Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance |
| Total cash fees (earned) | $110,000 | Fees earned or paid in cash |
| Equity award (restricted stock) | $175,001 | One-year vesting; annual director grant under Omnibus Incentive Plan |
Fiscal Year 2024 director compensation table confirms Kurzman’s total of $285,001 ($110,000 cash; $175,001 stock) .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Type | Performance Metrics | Vesting Terms | FY2024 Grant Date Fair Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted stock | None (time-based) | One-year vesting | $175,001 |
- Director equity is time-vested; no revenue/EBITDA/TSR metrics are applied to director grants .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector Relationship to WMG | Potential Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Man Group plc | Asset management (no disclosed ties to WMG operations) | No WMG-related transactions disclosed in proxy |
| Lanvin Group | Fashion (no disclosed ties to WMG operations) | No WMG-related transactions disclosed in proxy |
| United Talent Agency (UTA) | Talent representation (industry-adjacent) | No related party dealings involving Kurzman disclosed in proxy |
WMG’s “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions” section focuses on relationships with Access affiliates; the proxy does not disclose related-party transactions involving Kurzman .
Expertise & Qualifications
- 20+ years entertainment industry experience (labels oversight; talent career-building), plus investment and company growth/oversight across consumer products, sports, and technology .
- Strategic, trend anticipation, and revenue growth capabilities from investment portfolio leadership; useful for Compensation and Nominating & Governance oversight in a media business .
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Detail | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (Class A) | 22,568 shares | Less than 1% of Class A outstanding; director-level holdings |
| Vested vs. unvested | 17,655 vested Class A; 4,913 unvested restricted stock | Received as director compensation |
| Ownership % of Class A | <1% | Asterisk denotes less than 1% |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited | Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging, pledging, and short sales |
| Director stock ownership guideline | 4× annual cash retainer | Includes unvested restricted stock; must retain 100% of net shares until compliance |
| Compliance status | Not disclosed | Individual compliance level not specified in proxy |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; seats on Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance committees; attendance at least 75%; stock ownership guideline and time-vested equity align incentives .
- Risks/Context: WMG’s controlled company status means Compensation and Nominating & Governance committees are not fully independent (Access-affiliated directors participate), though Kurzman is one of the independent members; board composition reflects Access influence which can affect perceived independence of certain decisions .
- Conflict signals: No related-party transactions involving Kurzman are disclosed; company prohibits hedging/pledging, lowering alignment risks; director pay mix is standard (cash + time-based equity) without performance metrics, typical for directors .