Warner Music Group (WMG) has expanded its leadership team in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), promoting Ahmed Nureni to managing director and appointing Ahmad Alghawanmeh as general manager. The appointments divide responsibility for regional strategy and corporate development from commercial growth and operations.
Regional responsibilities
Nureni reports to Guillermo Gonzalez, president of recorded music for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Alghawanmeh reports directly to Nureni.
The executives’ responsibilities span:
- Nureni: regional strategy, corporate development, strategic joint ventures and catalogue expansion across all MENA markets.
- Alghawanmeh: commercial growth, business development, market expansion and operational delivery across multiple territories.
Alghawanmeh joins from Sony Music Entertainment, where he served as vice president, revenue and growth strategy. His work included developing partnerships to increase artists’ reach and commercial revenue.
Warner Music MENA operates in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Morocco. The leadership changes follow the full integration of Qanawat Music into ADA (Alternative Distribution Alliance), providing a distribution operation for the region.
Nureni’s regional expansion
Nureni became general manager of Warner Music MENA in 2022, following WMG’s acquisition of Qanawat Music. His tenure has included a joint venture with Riyadh-based Merwas to establish a record label focused on Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.
Other developments include a strategic investment in HuManagement, a talent agency in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, and artist signings including Egyptian pop artist Tamer Hosny.
Discussing his appointment, Nureni said: “I’m proud of what we’ve achieved in the region over the last few years, but know there is so much more opportunity for growth and development.”
Gonzalez described MENA as one of the world’s fastest-growing music markets and said Nureni would continue developing Warner Music’s regional presence in his new role.
Alghawanmeh’s career
Alghawanmeh entered the music industry in 2013 as a digital account manager at Universal Music Group. He subsequently became senior digital partnership manager before moving to Sony Music Entertainment in 2018 as associate director, digital sales and revenue.
At Sony, he progressed to director of digital business and partner growth, then vice president, revenue and growth. Over the past eight years, his work has included collaborations with local and global partners to develop opportunities for artists in MENA.
