Adam Tiran Appointed General Manager of Warner Music’s Africori

Adam Tiran named General Manager of Warner Music’s Africori as founder Yoel Kenan steps down as CEO

June 19, 2026 By Rafaela Fornitani

Africori , the African distribution and label services arm of Warner Music Group , has named Adam Tiran as its General Manager.

Tiran will be based in Johannesburg and report to Simon Robson , President, EMEA, Recorded Music, WMG .

The appointment, announced on  Friday (June 19) , follows the decision by  Africori  founder  Yoel Kenan  to step down as CEO.

WMG was fully acquired Africori in 2025, following its initial investment in the Johannesburg-headquartered company in 2020 and subsequent majority stake acquisition in 2022.

Kenan  founded the company and led it for more than a decade, building  Africori  into part of  Warner Music ‘s global network.

He helped launch  WM Africa Francophone ,  Warner ‘s French-language venture with  Warner Music France .

WMAFR is a collaboration between Warner Music Africa, Warner Music France and Africori.

Under his leadership,  Africori  oversaw the upstreaming of  Master KG ‘s 2020 track  Jerusalema  into a global hit, and the breakout of  TitoM & Yuppe ‘s  Tshwala Bam , which  Warner  has described as the most successful amapiano track to date.

Africori also supported independent artists and labels across the continent, such as Focalistic, Kelvin Momo, Makhadzi, MaWhoo, Oscar Mbo, and so many others.

A founding member of the  Africori  team,  Tiran  has worked at the company for more than  13 years , most recently as Director of Operations and International Lead.

In those roles, the company said,  Tiran  helped navigate  Africori ‘s expansion across regional markets and managed its integration with  WMG .

> “Having been part of Africori ‘s journey for over a decade, my focus remains rooted in our foundational vision: empowering independent African artists to build sustainable global careers.” Adam Tiran, AFRICORI

At Africori , Tiran has worked on projects and collaborations for artists including Blxckie , Focalistic , Kelvin Momo , Jux , Marioo , Master KG , Rexxie and Sjava .

Under Tiran ‘s leadership, Africori plans to accelerate its investment in local talent and expand its artist services.

The company also aims to deepen its footprint across East , West , and Southern Africa .

Adam Tiran , General Manager, Africori , said: “I’m proud and energized to step into this role at such a transformative moment for African music.

“Having been part of Africori ‘s journey for over a decade, my focus remains rooted in our foundational vision: empowering independent African artists to build sustainable global careers. We’ll continue to amplify our artists’ voices on the world stage while fiercely respecting and investing in the local cultures that birth them.”

> “Adam’s deep understanding of the African music landscape, coupled with his proven track record in artist development, makes him the natural choice to lead Africori into its next chapter.” Simon Robson , WMG

Simon Robson , President, EMEA, Recorded Music, WMG , added: “Adam’s deep understanding of the African music landscape, coupled with his proven track record in artist development, makes him the natural choice to lead Africori into its next chapter.

“As African music continues to captivate global audiences, Adam ‘s vision and operational expertise will ensure our artists receive the world-class support, distribution, and visibility they deserve.”

A British-South African music executive, label owner, and DJ, Tiran began his career in London’s music scene before dedicating more than a decade to building the African music ecosystem.

He is the founder of Outer South , an independent record label and creative hub based in Johannesburg and London that is dedicated to alternative Afro-fusion talent.

The company sits at the center of one of the music industry’s fastest-growing regions: according to  IFPI ‘s  Global Music Report 2026 ,  recorded music revenues across Sub-Saharan  Africa  grew  15.2%  in  2025  to reach  USD $120 million .

South Africa  – home to  Africori ‘s headquarters in  Johannesburg  – remained the region’s largest market, accounting for  78.1%  of Sub-Saharan Africa’s total revenues in  2025 .

Music Business Worldwide

_Originally reported by [Music Business Worldwide](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/adam-tiran-named-general-manager-of-warner-musics-africori-as-founder-yoel-kenan-steps-down-as-ceo/)._