Sony Music Australia’s Pat Handlin has been tempted away from down under to join Simon Cowell’s Syco Music U.K. as Senior A&R Manager.

Reporting to Head of A&R Tyler Brown and President Sonny Takhar, Handlin is tasked with developing and A&Ring new and current artists. “Pat, get ready for the ride,” Cowell said. “Now the fun really starts.”

Handlin began his career in as an intern at Red Label with Sony Music Australia in 2006 and was appointed A&R talent scout two years later. That same year, he also spent time at Columbia Records in New York as part an internal secondment programme. In 2010 he was named A&R Manager for Sony Music Australia before being promoted to Director of A&R in 2013.

During his career in Australia, Handlin has discovered and developed artists including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, The Veronicas, Jai Waetford, Samantha Jade, Peking Duk and The Justice Crew.

The latter’s smash “Que Sera’,” sourced and A&R’d by Handlin, secured nine consecutive weeks at the top of the National ARIA Singles Chart in 2014 and has been certified eight times platinum in Australia. Handlin also introduced producer-writer duo DNA to Sony Music Australia.

“Pat is a proven record maker and artist focused A&R,” Brown said. “We will all benefit from his talent and wealth of experience.”