Golnar Khosrowshahi
Founder and CEO, Reservoir

BACKGROUND
Where born: Tehran, Iran

Education: Bryn Mawr College (B.A.), Columbia Business School (MBA)

ON THE JOB
How would you describe your job and what you do to someone you just met? I am the founder and CEO of a publicly traded music company specializing in publishing, recorded music and management. We are both caretakers of music assets and partners to active music creators across all geographies and genres.

What attributes do you look for in a candidate when hiring? I like to see candidates who are well-prepared and willing to roll up their sleeves, exhibit a good work ethic, dedication and rigor. I also am drawn to candidates who are naturally curious.

What’s a go-to interview question you use to draw out a unique response from a prospective employee? I like to know “Where do you see yourself in five years?” It is important to know that someone has goals and to understand if those goals are mutually beneficial.

Once on the job, what mistake do young professionals make, and how would you advise them to avoid it? I think young professionals can make the mistake of not doing their research. I’m always impressed by people who speak up, show they have done their homework, and are putting in the effort to come prepared for whatever meeting or project they are working on.

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Do you serve as a mentor for someone? If so, how do you fill that role? Yes, I serve as a mentor to many people, including the employees at Reservoir. The mentorship role manifests differently depending on the mentee. I find the most fundamental driver that helps me devise a path for the trajectory of the relationship is determining "What is the mentee’s ask?" or "What are they hoping to achieve?" That focus helps me best tailor my support to their needs. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Do you have a mentor yourself? If so, what do you get from that individual? My mentor is my father. I get a phone call from him every morning before 8 a.m., and that always provides me with a sense of clarity to start my day. He’s an incredible businessman, and I have been lucky to learn from him over the years.

How can more women better position themselves for leadership roles with their companies? Show up and be better prepared and better informed than anyone else. And, if you are in a position to do so, hire more women and promote more women within your organizations. Unfortunately, we are still in a time when many women must display unilateral dedication to the company, dispelling any indication that they are distracted by their other commitments or that their other commitments will detract from their performance. With more women in leadership roles, I hope there will be a cultural shift that allows women more flexibility, but until then, I encourage women to show up as much as possible in order to rise to positions of power.

What element of the post-pandemic work environment has impacted your company the most, and how are you addressing it? Interpersonal connections and friendships within the work environment have suffered since the pandemic. I have worked closely with our president and COO, Rell Lafargue, to try and reignite company culture, including encouraging a return to the office where colleagues can interface in-person and grow their relationships.

LOOKING AHEAD
As we approach the end of 2024, you’ll consider this to have been a good year for you professionally if — what? I’ll consider this a good year if we are able to continue to execute on our growth strategies, including delivering for our shareholders, maintaining our low turnover rate across our staff, and continuing to acquire high-quality assets and sign deals with exceptional songwriters and artists.

What’s the biggest challenge facing your industry and/or company? How should that challenge be addressed? Our industry is facing the threat of the impact of generative AI on the music-creation process and the uncertainties around how the training of machine learning will be monetized given the intellectual property on which that learning is based. Reservoir has representation on advocacy organizations across the globe that continue to work to address this challenge and find avenues within the legal system to establish protections for creators.

What’s the biggest challenge facing the New York City business community that needs attention as we look ahead to 2025? NYC needs to remain friendly to business, innovation, attracting talent and cultivating in-person work environments.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
What is a charity/foundation/cause you regularly support or volunteer with? I sit on the board of the NY Philharmonic and am proud to support the premier global orchestra and its efforts to share classical music with a broad audience.

What have you learned about yourself as you’ve advanced in your career? I have learned that my commitment to our people — our team and our clients — is the most valuable and rewarding aspect of my work, both to me and to the business.