The People With Power at Spotify

For the leaders of Spotify, one of the biggest challenges of running the global leader in streaming music is bridging different worlds—that of media and tech, and also New York and Stockholm, where its biggest offices are located.

Adding to the stress is increasing competition from Apple and the pressures of going public, as Spotify did last year. The company has seen a wave of departures among its upper ranks in the past 12 months, including several executives dealing with content, music and publishing. And the departures aren’t over. VP Brian Benedik, global head of ad sales, is also leaving in the next few months, as The Information reported this week. Insiders cite the stock market listing, which crystallized big profits for employees holding stock and also signaled how Spotify has become a bigger company, as a factor in some of the exits.