Arjun Pulijal is the new president of Capitol Music Group (CMG).
A nine-year CMG veteran, Pulijal will oversee all areas of CMG’s artist development, including creative, marketing and operations, and work closely with chair/CEO Michelle Jubelirer in leading the business into the future.
Pulijal’s promotion is reward for guiding the marketing department for CMG’s flagship label, Capitol Records, as senior vp of marketing, during which time he worked closely on a long list of successful projects from Paul McCartney’s McCartney III; to Halsey’s If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power; ABBA’s comeback album Voyage; Masego’s Studying Abroad; Norah Jones’s live set ‘Til We Meet Again and Queen Naija’s Misunderstood.
At Capitol Records, Pulijal contributed in other ways, scoring A&R credits on McCartney III-Imagined, the Beatles great’s first-ever official remix album featuring the likes of Beck, Phoebe Bridgers, Blood Orange, Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien, St. Vincent and more.
“Arjun is renowned throughout our company, the industry and the creative community for prioritizing artistry in all aspects of presenting music to the world,” comments Jubelirer, to whom he reports. The incoming president is “more than artist friendly; he is artist-first, and his approach has resulted in some of our company’s most acclaimed and commercially successful releases during Pulijal’s nine-years here. He is a proven leader, and will be integral to working with me and our senior management team as we achieve our goals and plan our company’s future.”
Based out of the iconic Capitol Tower in Los Angeles, Pulijal joined Capitol in 2013 as a director of marketing, rising to vp in 2017. Before that, he enjoyed a seven-year stint at Epic Records in New York, first in A&R and then branching out into publicity and digital, before stepping up to marketing director in 2009.
In 2017, Pulijal was identified as one of the music industry’s top young power players in Billboard‘s 40 Under 40.
“The Capitol Tower has always stood as a musical beacon and a haven for artistry,” he comments in a statement announcing his appointment. “I share Michelle’s desire to uphold that tradition and her commitment to support new and developing artists as they aspire to become the superstars of tomorrow.”
Pulijal’s rise up the ranks closely follows a promotion for Jubelirer. Just last month, Jubelirer became the first woman to head the company in its 80-year history, when she ascended to her current post.
CMG, a division of Universal Music Group, is comprised of Capitol Records, Virgin Records, Motown Records, Blue Note Records, Astralwerks, Harvest Records and Capitol Christian Music Group. The company also operates Capitol Studios and the independent distribution and label services arm, Caroline.
