Who

Stringer is chairman of the Sony Music Label Group. His older brother is Sony's CEO, Howard Stringer.

Backstory

Raised in Britain, Stringer jumped into the music business after graduating art school, joining Sony Music's U.K. operations in 1985. He rose through the ranks to become managing director of Epic Records in 1993, signing Brit bands like Manic Street Preachers, The Lightning Seeds and teenage girl group B*witched during his tenure. In 2000, he was elevated to CEO of Sony Music UK; four years later, following the corporate marriage between BMG and Sony Music, he was named CEO of the combined company's operations in Britain and Ireland. Stringer moved to New York in 2006 when he was named chairman of the Sony's U.S. label group, following the ouster of longtime execs Donnie Ienner and Michele Anthony. He's now responsible for the Sony "half" of the Sony BMG joint venture. Stringer oversees Columbia Records (headed by Steve Barnett) and Epic Records (run by Charlie Walk) and works closely with Sony BMG's CEO, Rolf Schmidt-Holtz.

Of note

Although Stringer's tenure at Sony pre-dates that of his big brother and insiders say he's a very capable exec, observers also say it's highly unlikely he would have been imported from the U.K. office if he hadn't had a little help from up above. But having a family member on the inside may have been precisely what Sir Howard, who is CEO of Sony Music's parent, Sony Corp., had in mind. For years, the music subsidiary was a fiefdom controlled by Tommy Mottola, who ran the company like his own personal empire and spent lavishly even while the music business was clearly in sharp decline. Part of Rob's job these days is to do what Mottola wasn't prepared to do—run a tight ship and keep costs under control.

Namedrop

Artists on Sony Music's labels include Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Aerosmith, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, the Dixie Chicks, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Modest Mouse, the Fray, and John Mayer.

Personal

Stringer lives on East 51st Street, just a few blocks from Sony's offices.

True story

His first show? Stringer says he saw The Clash in 1976, when he was 14.