Leadership Change at Warner Music India Puts Ashok Parwani in Charge of South Indian Music Strategy 

With decades of experience, Parwani will oversee growth initiatives across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam markets in partnership with Divo.

Warner Music India has appointed Ashok Parwani as Head of Music for South Indian markets, placing him in charge of the company’s strategy across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam music ecosystems. The leadership change comes at a time when the company is strengthening its regional focus following its majority acquisition of South India based digital media and music company Divo.
The appointment signals a renewed emphasis on regional catalogue expansion, artist development, and long-term partnerships across South India. Warner Music India and Divo are working together to deepen their presence in local markets while aligning regional talent with national and global distribution opportunities.

Ashok Parwani brings over four decades of experience in the music industry, with professional stints spanning India, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates. He is widely recognised for his role in shaping the South India business of Sony Music India, where he spent close to two decades. During his tenure, he led several major catalogue acquisitions and built strong working relationships with producers, filmmakers, and artists across southern film and independent music industries.
Divo has emerged as a significant player in South India’s music and digital ecosystem, offering services across music distribution, publishing, digital content creation, and influencer marketing. Warner Music India’s majority acquisition of Divo in 2023 reinforced its commitment to investing in regional cultures and strengthening locally rooted music businesses.

Warner Music India currently manages a rapidly expanding music catalogue and has recently launched Loopd, an artist focused label aimed at supporting independent talent. The label operates with an artist first approach while leveraging Warner Music Group’s global network for wider reach and international exposure. The company has also extended its regional footprint through a collaborative initiative involving Sri Lanka based M Entertainments and Divo, creating additional cross border opportunities for regional artists.
Commenting on the appointment, Jay Mehta, Managing Director, Warner Music India and SAARC, said that Ashok Parwani’s regional expertise and long standing industry relationships align closely with the company’s long term vision for South India. He noted that South India remains a key growth pillar for Warner Music India’s national strategy and that Parwani’s leadership will play an important role in building structured pathways for local artists to reach broader audiences.

Shahir Muneer, Co Founder and Director at Divo, said that Parwani’s experience adds significant value to Warner Music India’s South India strategy. He added that the appointment will also strengthen Divo’s integration within the Warner Music network, supporting catalogue growth, deeper partnerships, and stronger commercial outcomes for artists across the region.
Ashok Parwani said he was joining Warner Music India at a moment of strong momentum and opportunity. He highlighted South India’s creative depth and noted that the combined strengths of Warner Music India and Divo offer a platform to expand the reach of South Indian music across India and international markets. He added that his focus would be on building sustainable growth models and opening new pathways for regional artists.

Parwani’s appointment represents a step toward deeper integration of Warner Music India’s regional strategy with Divo’s local capabilities. The move underscores the company’s intent to strengthen South Indian music ecosystems while connecting regional creativity with global distribution and industry infrastructure.

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