Berklee College of Music has named Sony/ATV Music Publishing chairman Jon Platt to its board of trustees, beginning Oct. 1. The highest ranking Black executive in the music business, Platt’s tenure at the market-leading company, which he joined in 2019, has seen its ranks diversify by race and gender, while its roster has expanded to include such giants as Beyonce and Rihanna as well as recent Emmy winner Labrinth.
Said Berklee President Roger H. Brown: “We’re looking forward to having Jon Platt serve on the board of trustees. He is a visionary who brings strong leadership and business expertise that are essential in connecting our students to the ever-evolving music industry.”
Platt has played a key role in building notable catalogs within hip-hop music and expanding the genre’s reach to mainstream audiences and commercial success. He is credited with signing such prominent songwriters as Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Drake, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Rihanna and Usher, as well as mentoring executives throughout the industry.
Platt previously served as chief executive of Warner Chappell following 17 years at EMI Music Publishing. He received City of Hope’s prestigious Spirit of Life Award in 2018. In 2005, he launched the Big Jon Platt Scholarship Program for high school students from his hometown of Denver to attend college.
As the world’s largest music publisher, Sony/ATV is home to more than three million copyrights including hits by Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, Ed Sheeran, Beyonce, Rihanna, Khalid, Carole King and Sia. Sony/ATV was also BMI’s 2020 publisher of the year for pop and R&B/hip-hop.