| Michael L. Nash | |
| Occupation: | Executive vice president, chief digital officer |
| Organization: | Universal Music Group |
Michael L. Nash is a media executive and the executive vice president and chief digital officer at Universal Music Group.[1]
Nash founded and served as CEO of Inscape, an interactive entertainment and games publishing joint venture with WMG and HB0. He earlier served as director of the Criterion Collection, working with directors and artists such as Robert Altman, David Bowie, Terry Gilliam, Louis Malle, Nicolas Roeg and John Singleton.[2] Prior to joining WMG, Nash was executive director of the Madison Project, a digital distribution trial.[3]
In 2006, Nash oversaw Warner Music Group’s partnership with YouTube that led WMG to become the first global media company to embrace monetization of user-generated content.[4] The partnership also established WMG’s model to derive revenue from WMG music videos, which included WMG’s partnership with online video service, Hulu.[5] In 2008, The New York Times reported that "Atlantic appears to be the first of the major labels to claim that most of its revenue is coming from digital sales."[6]
Nash was responsible for WMG’s renegotiation with YouTube in 2009 that led to the creation of the WMG premium video platform.[7]
Nash joined Universal Music Group as EVP of digital strategy and was named to the Executive Management Board in 2015.[8]
At UMG, Nash expanded the company's commercial agreements with digital partners that increased the availability of the UMG catalog on subscription and ad-supported platforms. With a license with Facebook, Instagram and Messenger, UMG became the first music company to license music to a social media company, following up with agreements with Snap and TikTok.[9] [10] [11]
Nash oversaw the company's expansion of music into health, fitness and medical uses through partnerships with Peloton, Equinox, SoulCycle, Liteboxer and VR fitness app Supernatural. MedRhthms and Music Health's Vera app.[12]
Nash was listed on Billboard’s "Power 100" in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.[13] He has also appeared on Billboard's Digital Power Playlist every year since 2016.[14]