Republic Records named Miles Beard and David Walter as co-head of A&R, the label announced today (July 15). Beard, based on the West Coast, and Wolter, based on the East Coast, will report to president and chief creative officer. Wendy Goldstein.
The duo, who both joined Republic in 2022, previously served as executive vice presidents of A&R for the label. Their new roles will see them jointly lead development and A&R strategy for the company, as well as oversee partnerships, alongside executive vice president Danielle Pricewho oversees the R&B/hip-hop A&R team.
“When it comes to A&R, Miles and David are two of the most intelligent and visionary executives in the business,” Goldstein said in a statement. “They couldn't be more different in terms of preferences, approach and even location on the two coasts, yet they are the perfect match to lead this department. They share a rare passion for music and are fiercely committed to championing their artists. Their partnership is truly next level and will be integral to our success going forward. Our focus is to build a dominant A&R team with them alongside our hip-hop/R&B initiatives.”
Beard has worked with the Jonas Brothers, Republic's K-pop collaborators Stray Kids and TXT, and Republic's recent deal with Nigerian label Mavin for singer Ayra Starr, among other projects. Wolter, meanwhile, has collaborated with artists such as Conan Gray, Greta Van Fleet, Miranda Lambert and Zoe Kravitz for the label. Republic Records – also home to superstars like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and more – is part of the Republic Recording Company, along with Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, Mercury Records, Casablanca Records, indie distributor Imperial and the Corps team. Monte Lipman and Avery Lipman.
“It's incredible to work with Wendy, Monte and Avery Lipman and my new partner Miles,” Wolter said in a statement. “We have so much support. Wendy's instincts are second to none. Monte and Avery don't stop and it's inspiring. When it comes to our artists, I just want to be a vigilante fighter for their artistry. My main hope is that our team will have a huge impact on culture and challenge the status quo.”
Wolter spent a decade at Virgin Records from 1997 to 2007, signing Gorillaz, before spending another 10 years at RCA Records, before returning to Virgin under the Capitol Music Group umbrella in 2017 and then moving to Republic in 2022. Beard, a long time DJ, spent 10 years at Mike Karen's APG, signing Charlie Puth, before moving to Republic.
“Wendy, Monte and Avery make you feel like anything is possible,” Byrd said in a statement. “The way they balance being good people and being extremely competitive is unique. David and I are against it. He's a purist, I just love what people love. It has no filter, I'm measured. He's tall, I'm short. We complement each other in every way. As an A&R, I want to make our artists feel comfortable and motivated to think as much as possible.”
