Rich Castillo has joined music company Graduation as the new head of A&R.
The UK exec, who was previously at SVP, A&R EMI, is set to take up the role later this month.
Castillo will report directly to Charlie Lycett, founder and CEO of Graduation.
In his new position, Castillo will oversee the creative direction of A&R strategy for the company, which has seen success with artists including Brent Faiyaz, Nemzzz, Kairo Keyz, Cash Cobain and Sexyy Red.
In addition to his role at Graduation, Castillo will be launching his own label, Lionbear Records, which will be distributed via Graduation's label services arm.
Rich Castillo has extensive experience at Polydor Records, Atlantic and EMI Records. His tenure at EMI saw him leading their A&R team while working on key projects like Olivia Dean, Elton John, The Libertines and, more recently, Chase & Status.
Rich Castillo said: "I’m looking forward to working closely with Charlie and the team at Graduation. Charlie has built an incredible team of young execs that have driven the company so far. This next phase will make Graduation a destination for ambitious artists that want forward-thinking deals."
Charlie Lycett, founder and CEO of Graduation, added: "Rich brings a wealth of experience and creativity to Graduation. His track record speaks for itself, and we’re excited to have him on board as we continue to push boundaries and create new opportunities for artists."
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