Sony’s Denis Handlin To Focus Exclusively On Australian & New Zealand Operations

Sony Music Entertainment have today announced a new strategy for operations in the Asia Pacific region. 

As part of changes, Sony Music Entertainment, Chairman & CEO (Australia & NZ) Denis Handlin AO will now focus exclusively on operations in Australia and New Zealand, with Shridhar Subramaniam now appointed to the newly created role of President, Strategy and Market Development, Asia and Middle East, while Andrew Chan will oversee China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, Joseph Chang will continue as Managing Director, Sony Music Entertainment Korea and Ariel Fung will become Executive Vice President, SME Southeast Asia.

"Asia and the Middle East are key emerging drivers of the global music industry and an important part of our current and long-term success," said Chairman, Sony Music Group, Rob Stringer. 

"This new structure will enhance collaboration with the regional leadership team to drive our strategic business and creative priorities.

"Denis has been very instrumental in our Company’s development in this region and has assembled an excellent leadership team in Asia equipped to execute on our strategic initiatives and expand the progress on our commercial activities there."

Handlin celebrates his 50th year with Sony Music Entertainment this May, having started with the company as a junior record assembler at the Brisbane warehouse of the Australian Record Company (which would later become CBS then Sony) in 1970. 

He was soon promoted to roles including promo rep, promotions manager and state manager (Queensland) over a five-year period and was then elevated to national promotions manager and relocated to work out of the Sydney head office.

Handlin was appointed MD and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Australia in 1984 and president of Sony Music Entertainment Asia in 2010.