Sony Music - Asia & Middle East is hiring a

Head of J-Pop & Anime

Shanghai, China

This position is responsible for Sony Music’s Japanese music and anime strategy and, value proposition in Greater China (GC). Showcasing SME’s Japanese artists, creating anime, Japanese song production, distribution and licensing of Mandarin based J-pop repertoire to enhance our China business. 

 

In this role you will help driving SME China’s growth by identifying new business opportunities to extend Japanese music and anime content in Greater China.

 

In addition to market and industry knowledge, the ability to negotiate complex partnerships with analytical data insights into the intersection of music, technological innovation and consumer behavior is essential.

You will work on diversifying Sony Music’s Japanese music talent-spotting and anime opportunities to penetrate China and meet the market’s dynamic consumer preference.

 

What you'll do:

Reporting to the CEO, Greater China and as a key member of the Greater China Leadership Team, you will define, drive and deliver the overall strategy for the Japanese music, Anime and related business targets for market share and revenue growth.

 

Develop and Implement Strategy:

  • Create a business strategy to market/promote and distribute Japanese music and anime content into Greater China market.
  • Identify market trends, new business opportunities, and challenges to develop strategies that drive revenue growth and market share.  Manage the P&L and be accountable for agreed business, financial and people metrics.
  • Collaborate with the GC Leadership Team to set J-pop, Anime financial targets and key performance indicators (KPIs).
  • Close collaboration with SMEJ, build and create opportunity for Japanese artist imports to China and exporting Chinese artists who perform Japanese songs.
  • Drive local A&R acquisition and development opportunities to establish a local artist roster for Japanese tracks/songs and anime content in China’s market. Ensure Japanese Music and Anime has the right talent in the right roles to deliver on the strategy.
  • Build, manage and maintain professional relationships with artists, producers, key partners, and other stakeholders in the China music ecosystem.
  • Facilitate creation of local anime content and ensure appropriate copyright ownership and publishing rights.

Content Acquisition and Licensing:

  • Build relationships and negotiate licensing agreements with SMEJ and Anime production companies to secure a diverse and compelling content portfolio.
  • Assess and evaluate potential content acquisitions based on profitability.
  • Ensure compliance with copyright laws and intellectual property rights during content acquisition processes.

 

Market Research and Analysis:

  • Conduct regular market research to gain insights into Chinese consumer preferences, behaviors, and trends related to Japanese music and anime.
  • Analyze market data, competitor activities, and industry developments to identify new business opportunities and stay ahead of the competition.

 

Distribution and Promotion:

  • Develop and execute distribution strategies to maximize the reach and availability of Japanese music and anime content across various platforms, including online streaming services, DSPs, media in China.
  • Collaborate with Marketing team to create effective promotional campaign that increase brand awareness and drive fans/consumer engagement.
  • Monitor and analyze distribution performance metrics to optimize content placement and promotional activities.

Collaborate with other labels and functional teams to ensure smooth content localization subtitling, and dubbing processes to cater to the preferences of Chinese fans/audiences.

 

Who you are:

A dynamic and experienced leader who is passionate about Anime and/or Gaming and armed with a strategic mind-set and strong business ethics. You should possess deep understanding of the Japanese music and anime culture, plus experience in managing and growing a business of similar scale with demonstrated results.

Experience:

•    Bachelor’s degree in BA, Marketing or a related field. A Master’s degree is preferred.
•    Proven track record of at least 5-8 years in within the entertainment industry, preferably in music anime distribution.
•    Knowledgeable in the Japanese music and anime industry, including content acquisition and licensing processes.  A track record of innovative approaches in structuring distribution and licensing deal in China.
•    Understanding of Japanese music and anime. Familiar with various genres, styles, and trends within the industry. Curious about the work of prominent composers, artists, and sound directors in this space in China.
•    Strong knowledge of the Chinese market, including consumer preferences, culture sensitivities, and regulatory framework.
•    Substantial experience in creative industry, with experience in identifying new trends and a strong understanding of China’s music industry and licensing ecosystem.
•    Experience in producing Japanese music through local Chinese artists, anime content and/or virtual Japanese anime artists in China, with strong local networks incl. relationships with production houses.
•    Experience in building and managing a P&L of similar scale in China.


Capabilities:

•    Artistic vision: Ability to create a vision for the artist and to translate it into a tangible and holistic value proposition that maximises the artist's relevancy and marketability.

•    Creativity: Intellectually curious, embraces innovation from ideation, development to commercialisation.  Role models a growth mindset to drive creativity and problem solving.

•    Commercial acumen: Consistently applies ingenuity, strategic thinking, and discipline to discover, prioritize, and realize revenue opportunities for Sony Music.

•    Relationship management: Build trusting and long-lasting relationships with artists and their ecosystem, as well as with external and internal stakeholders; creating a network of connections and building credibility and rapport at all levels of the business. 

•    Technology: Active interest in leveraging new and emerging Technologies (particularly generate AI tools) to drive innovation across the business, create efficiencies and navigate this rapidly changing technological landscape.


Others:

•    Multi-lingual (Chinese, Japanese & English) preferred. 
•    Passion for Anime and/ or Gaming is essential.

 

What we give you: 

  • An opportunity to influence the strategic direction of our China business
  • The ability to be innovative and have an impact on the domestic music industry in China
  • An inclusive, collaborative, and global community where you can fuel the creative journey
  • A modern office environment designed to foster productivity, creativity, and teamwork
  • We invest in your professional growth & development 

 

Equal Opportunities

As an active part of a culturally and socially diverse society, Sony Music’s aim is that our workforce is diverse and inclusive. Sony Music is an equal opportunity employer and supports workforce diversity.

We employ, retain, promote and otherwise treat all employees and job applicants according to their merit, qualifications, competence and talent. We apply this policy without regard to any individual’s sex, race, religion, origin, age, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition or disability.

Privacy Policy

Please click here to read our privacy policy before beginning the application process as you will need to agree to the terms of the policy before submitting your information.

 

 

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