A ROLE WITH A PURPOSE

Karen Lawson is clear on what Spotify’s purpose is; unlocking creativity. It’s something she’ll remain focused on as she leads the local transition of the business to an audio platform. The Swedish-founded company has been striving to become the “world’s largest audio network” in pursuit of podcasting’s growing revenue stream.

Lawson, who stepped into Spotify’s top role in Australia and New Zealand last May, has a background in both the corporate and startup world. She previously worked as CEO of Slingshot Accelerator and CareerOne, and currently sits on the advisory board for the Sydney Startup Hub.

Spotify’s attraction for her was the power it held, not only in the music landscape but also the impact it can have on the wider community.

“For me, purpose is so important,” says Lawson. “Working for a business that really does have purpose and impact in a positive way was key. We want to help unlock the power of human creativity and, in particular, help more than a million artists earn income from their art. It’s certainly a very creative focus.”

Lawson has been bringing in the right people for the task, with the local Spotify team at 55. Most recently, she brought in former Bauer Media executive