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John Josephson

Chairman & CEO, SESAC Music Group

John Josephson is a prominent figure in the media and entertainment industry, currently serving as the Chairman and CEO of SESAC Music Group, a role he has held since August 2014. He has been a member of the Board of Trustees at The Paley Center for Media since November 2015, contributing his expertise to this nonprofit organization dedicated to the cultural significance of media.12

Professional Background

  • SESAC Music Group: Josephson has been with SESAC since 1992, initially serving as a director before becoming CEO. Under his leadership, SESAC has grown significantly, focusing on music rights and licensing.
  • Allen & Co. LLC: Prior to his tenure at SESAC, he worked for 27 years as a Managing Director at Allen & Co., where he gained extensive experience in media and finance.
  • McKinsey & Company: Josephson began his career as a business analyst at McKinsey from 1983 to 1985, providing strategic consulting services.

Education

  • Cornell University: He earned his A.B. as a College Scholar from Cornell in 1983.
  • Harvard Business School: He completed his MBA between 1985 and 1987.

Additional Roles

In addition to his work with The Paley Center for Media, Josephson is involved with several other organizations:

  • Member of the New York Advisory Board of Teach for America.
  • Board member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, highlighting his commitment to supporting music and arts education.345

Josephson's extensive experience in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors positions him as a key player in shaping discussions around media's evolving landscape.

Highlights

Mar 22 · linkedin

SESAC and its employees support the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian creative community in their valiant struggle for freedom.   As an initial token of our support, we’ve donated $100,000 to support CreatorsforUkraine, a collective of CMOs, PROs and other organizations working together to provide financial support to Ukrainian creators, songwriters and composers during this challenging time. We’re seeking ways to do more in coming weeks and want to inspire other companies and organizations in the creative community to do whatever they are able to support the Ukrainian creative community at this critical time.    To learn more about how to get involved visit www.creatorsforukraine.org or visit https://lnkd.in/d6DiYqrd

Oct 7 · linkedin

We mourn the passing of Stephen Swid, SESAC’s former Chairman & CEO, who passed away on Sunday following an extended illness. Stephen led the 1992 acquisition of SESAC from the founding Prager family along with Freddie Gershon, Ira Smith and Allen & Company Inc. Over the ensuing twenty years that he served as CEO, until his retirement in 2013, Stephen was a key driver of the dramatic growth that the company experienced following the 1995 affiliations of Bob Dylan and Neil Diamond, the establishment of SESAC’s general licensing capabilities, and the formation of SESAC’s film and television business. Stephen was an accomplished entrepreneur and executive with a distinguished career before the acquisition of SESAC in 1992. We send our deepest sympathies to his family.

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John Josephson
John Josephson, photo 1
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Location

New York, New York, United States