Colgate University has announced that Global Head of Music at Apple, Ole Obermann ’93, will deliver Colgate’s 2026 Commencement Address on May 17.
Obermann, a graduate of Colgate’s class of 1993 with a degree in international relations, went on to earn an M.B.A. at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in 2000.
Before joining Apple, Obermann had over three decades of senior leadership experience in the global music industry, including roles at Bytedance/TikTok, Warner Music Group, Sony Music and Liquid Audio. Obermann is widely regarded for his ability to anticipate the next stages of the music industry.
Today, Obermann leads Apple Music’s global business department. He oversees Shazam, a leading music identification service, and Platoon, Apple’s global platform for independent artists, with a focus on the impact of artificial intelligence on music creation and fan engagement.
Obermann will receive an honorary degree alongside fellow recipients Kate Brown, Ann Curry, Peter L. Kellner ’65, P’87, GP’16,’19, Cristina Martínez and Lyle D. Roelofs.
