Warner Music Sweden fires exec over sexual misconduct

By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 4 December 2017

Warner Music Sweden has reportedly fired the senior executive who was accused of sexual misconduct, with the label insisting that it will learn from this incident, initially by conducting a review of its code of conduct and internal reporting procedures.

As previously reported, Swedish newspaper AftonBladet first reported last month that a top record industry executive in the country had been suspended following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.

The tabloid’s report said that the suspended exec had been accused of making inappropriate sexual advances to young female employees and artists, and of promoting an unhealthy work culture at the major.

A spokesperson said at the time that the accused exec had been suspended pending the outcome of an independent investigation. Then, on Friday, the spokesperson told AftonBladet that, following said investigation, the exec in question has been dismissed.

The spokesperson added: “We are determined to learn from this incident and we are now conducting a review of our internal code of conduct, reporting procedures and education programmes. We are grateful to those who had the courage to come forward”.

The suspension of the Warner Music exec last month coincided with nearly 2000 women working in the Swedish music industry putting their names to an open letter.

In it they called for a radical overhaul of the sector’s corporate culture which currently allows sexism, sexual harassment and sexual abuse to be common place, and which makes victims afraid that speaking out will damage their career prospects.

Last week’s statement from Warner in Sweden concluded by insisting that “there is now determination in our company – and our industry – to bring about meaningful and lasting change”.

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