He served as chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, parent company of the Columbia label, for nearly 15 years.
He began working for Chappell Publishing, where he connected with various artists, and later established his own management company, Champion Entertainment Organization.
One of Mottola’s early successes was managing Daryl Hall & John Oates, helping them secure a record deal and several lucrative endorsements.
Mottola successfully managed the black rock group Xavion, leveraging new media formats such as music videos and promotional tours to boost their visibility.
[5] In 1988, Mottola was hired by Sony Music Entertainment (then known as CBS Records) by Walter Yetnikoff to run its U.S. operations.
[6] Mottola is widely recognized for signing and promoting artists such as Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Destiny's Child, Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Shakira, and the Dixie Chicks.
He also oversaw the release of digitally remastered compact discs of classic recordings by artists including Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Andy Williams, and Pink Floyd.
Following his departure, he established a new entertainment company encompassing recorded music, television production, theater, fashion, and branding management.
In 2018, Mottola Media Group signed a multi-year first-look deal with eOne, now part of Lionsgate, to develop scripted and unscripted television projects.
In 2023, Ntertain partnered with Audio Up Media to launch original Latino podcast programming and other multimedia projects.
[19] Based in Miami, Ntertain is led by Mottola and Borrero in collaboration with Peter Micelli, CEO of Range Media Partners.