Stephen Cooper
Former CEO of Warner Music Group
Stephen F. Cooper is a veteran CEO and restructuring expert with 40+ years of experience across media, telecom, and consumer sectors. He led Warner Music Group, Enron, MGM, and Krispy Kreme through pivotal transformations and complex turnarounds.
Stephen F. Cooper is a senior executive and financial advisor with over four decades of leadership across media, telecom, automotive, food, and energy sectors. He is best known for serving as CEO of Warner Music Group for over a decade, leading the company through digital transformation, global expansion, and its successful IPO, tripling revenue and growing the company into a leading force in modern music.
Before Warner Music, Mr. Cooper held multiple high-impact CEO and chairman roles. He served as CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, overseeing its restructuring; CEO of Hawaiian Telcom; and Executive Chairman of both Blue Bird Corporation and Collins & Aikman. He also led Krispy Kreme Doughnuts during a critical turnaround phase.
One of his most visible assignments was as CEO and Chief Restructuring Officer of Enron Corporation, where he was appointed to guide the company through its Chapter 11 proceedings – then the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.
He was also Managing Partner of Cooper Investment Partners, a private equity firm focused on long-term value creation in distressed and underperforming companies.
Mr. Cooper holds a B.A. from Occidental College and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Let’s take the first step together.
Complete the form and an HTEC expert will contact you shortly.
Looking to join our team?
Visit our Careers & Culture page