Island Records Promotes Jackie Winkler to Senior VP, Head of A&R

Island Records has announced the promotion of Jackie Winkler to Senior Vice President, Head of A&R, effective Sept. 5.

Winkler, who was recently honored as Billboard’s Executive of the Week for her collaborative work with Sabrina Carpenter, will now lead the A&R department for Island Records, overseeing signing and creative development for the label’s roster of artists.

“Jackie is an exceptional leader and A&R executive,” said Co-CEOs Majid and Eshak in a joint statement. “Her collaborative spirit, creative instincts, and steadfast nature make her the ideal person to run our A&R Department. We’re thrilled she’ll join us in developing the next generation of iconic artists for Island Records.”

Winkler expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “I am deeply grateful to Imran and Justin for their unwavering belief and trust as I step into this new role. Their guidance has not only fueled my personal career growth but has been the cornerstone of our department’s success.”

She added, “I am thrilled at the opportunity to lead such an exceptionally talented, dynamic, and fiercely competitive team as we push the boundaries of what we can achieve together.”

Winkler’s promotion comes after her work with Sabrina Carpenter for her latest album Short n’ Sweet, which has dominated the Billboard charts with two consecutive No. 1 Hot 100 singles, “Espresso,” which was recently crowned Billboard’s No. 1 Global Song of the Summer for 2024, and “Please Please Please.”

The album has achieved global success, reaching No. 1 in 15 countries, including the U.S., Australia and the U.K. Winkler signed Carpenter to Island Records in 2020 and has played a crucial role in shaping her career since.

In a June interview with Billboard, she spoke about working with Carpenter and the impact of her chart-topping singles.

“‘Nonsense’ walked so ‘Feather’ could jog, then ‘Espresso’ ran so that ‘Please Please Please’ could start a stampede,” she said. “At the core, the music Sabrina makes is perfectly reflective of who she is as a person, and all the quirks and character are what give her such a strong musical identity.”

“It is all owed to her remarkable talent, the music itself, and the relentless detail put into every aspect of her creative campaign,” she added.

Winkler began her career at Warner Records, where she rose from intern to A&R manager and discovered Academy Award-nominated artist Andra Day. She joined Island Records in 2015 as A&R Director and was promoted to Vice President of A&R in 2022. Along with Sabrina Carpenter, she works closely with artists like Demi Lovato, Keshi, and Lauren Spencer Smith.

Winkler’s achievements have not gone unnoticed by the industry with Billboard naming her one of its Women in Music for 2023.