WARNER U.K. A&R CHIEF UPPED TO PRESIDENT

Joe Kentish, who has been with Warner Records U.K. since 2014, will be promoted to president of the label on 6/1, taking over from Phil Christie.

Kentish, who discovered and signed Dua Lipa and Griff while overseeing the expansion of the roster as Head of A&R, will report to WMUK CEO Tony Harlow. He also joins the WMUK leadership team, where he will have a say in the strategic direction of the broader U.K. company.

“Joe truly is one of the most talented and instinctively brilliant execs out there, and his track record speaks for itself,” Harlow said. “Not only is he an incredibly talented A&R, but he’s someone with a comprehensive understanding of what great artist development takes; he can spot distinctive British talent in its infancy and nurture it into a successful career that resonates in the U.K. and on the global stage. His unique creative relationship with Dua is a testament to that.”

A founder of the U.K. label Middle Row Records, Kentish will be responsible for overseeing the creative and strategic direction of WMUK, as well as the development of and campaigns for its roster of artists, including Biffy Clyro, Foals, Liam Gallagher, Royal Blood, JC Stewart and Pa Salieu, plus incoming international acts and releases from Warner Records U.S.

Kentish will continue to work closely with the rest of the Warner Records U.K. senior management team, including Jane Arthy, VP, Radio & Playlisting, SVP Jen Ivory and General Manager Sukhraj Johal.

Said Christie, who chose to leave the label in late 2021 after five years as president, “The label is unrecognizable from the one I walked into in 2014. Now the time has come for me to look ahead and move on and I couldn’t be happier for Joe, who deserves every accolade.”