Kobalt’s publishing division has appointed veteran A&R executive Rani Hancock to the position of executive vice president and head of U.S. creative, the company announced today. In her new role, Hancock will lead the company’s creative teams in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville. She was most recently EVP and head of A&R at Columbia Records.
“We are thrilled to welcome Rani Hancock to Kobalt Music,” said Jeannette Perez, the company’s president and chief commercial officer, to whom Hancock will report. “Her exceptional creative vision and proven track record make her the perfect fit to head our U.S. creative team. Rani’s deep understanding of the evolving music landscape, combined with her passion for nurturing talent, will be invaluable as we continue to empower songwriters, artists and producers in achieving their greatest potential.”
Kobalt CEO Laurent Hubert commented: “Rani is a creative executive who has always looked at the songwriter as a foundational player in our business. That point of view, along with her vast experience in our business, embodies the kind of leadership and creative acumen that makes her the ideal leader to guide our U.S. creative team moving forward.”
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In her four years at Columbia, Hancock worked closely with Dove Cameron, Maren Morris, and JoJo Siwa, among others. In her previous role as EVP of A&R at RCA Records, she signed such artists as Miley Cyrus, Kesha, and Becky G and A&R’d projects for Pitbull, Britney Spears, and more. During her stint as president of Sire Records, she signed Bryce Vine and Cavetown, oversaw projects by Tegan and Sara and Andra Day, and executive produced the Golden Globe-nominated soundtrack for “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.”
Hancock began her career working for the legendary Clive Davis at Arista Records, later joining him as part of the founding team at J Records. She holds a degree in Music Production and Engineering from Berklee College of Music.