EMPIRE Publishing Appoints Emilio Morales as SVP, Latin America Business Development

EMPIRE Publishing hires Rimas Publishing’s Emilio Morales as SVP, Business Development for Latin America

October 7, 2026 By Rafaela Fornitani

EMPIRE Publishing has hired Emilio Morales as SVP, Business Development for Latin America .

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Morales joins from Rimas Publishing , the San Juan -based company behind the publishing catalog of Bad Bunny , where he served as Managing Director.

Based in Puerto Rico , Morales will build partnerships across the region and deepen EMPIRE ‘s ties with Latin songwriters and producers, the company said.

At Rimas Publishing , Morales grew the roster from around 40 clients to more than 150 writers and producers, according to EMPIRE .

That roster includes Eladio Carrión , Mora , and Súbelo NEO , and spans Puerto Rico , Mexico , Chile , Colombia , and the Dominican Republic .

Under Morales, Rimas Publishing was named Publisher of the Year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards in 2021 and 2022 , and earned GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY recognition, along with ASCAP and BMI Latin awards.

He negotiated sync and brand deals with Netflix , HBO , Amazon , Spotify , Adidas , and Rockstar Games , and moved the company beyond reggaeton and trap into pop, regional Mexican, and Gospel music, according to EMPIRE .

> “Leveraging our global tech capabilities and incredible teams worldwide, we are positioned to unlock unprecedented opportunities and strategic partnerships for Latin America ‘s top creators and industry leaders.” Emilio Morales, EMPIRE

He also launched Rimas Publishing Girls , an initiative focused on women producers and composers in trap and reggaeton.

“Emilio has spent his career proving what’s possible when you invest in songwriters and producers and give them the tools to win and his proven success in Latin America makes him the perfect fit to lead our expansion across the region,” said Ghazi , CEO and founder of EMPIRE .

“Emilio has built an incredible reputation across the music industry through his experience, relationships, and understanding of the publishing business,” said Vinny Kumar , President of EMPIRE Publishing . “He shares our vision for where the industry is headed, and we’re excited to have him leading our efforts in Latin America as we continue to grow EMPIRE Publishing.”

> “He [MORALES] shares our vision for where the industry is headed, and we’re excited to have him leading our efforts in Latin America as we continue to grow EMPIRE Publishing.” Vinny Kumar , EMPIRE Publishing

“I’m incredibly proud to join the EMPIRE Publishing team,” Morales said. “Long before coming on board, I was a fan of their work and the global impact they’ve made.

“ EMPIRE Publishing ‘s commitment to independence, excellence, and an artist-first ethos aligns perfectly with my own approach. Leveraging our global tech capabilities and incredible teams worldwide, we are positioned to unlock unprecedented opportunities and strategic partnerships for Latin America ‘s top creators and industry leaders.”

Before joining EMPIRE , Morales was named a Billboard Latin Power Player and a Variety Hitmaker, and has served as Treasurer of the Music Business Association board, which named him a NEXTGEN_NOW One to Watch.

EMPIRE Publishing is a division of EMPIRE , the San Francisco -based independent label, distributor, and publisher founded in 2010 by Ghazi Shami .

The company has helped launch the careers of Kendrick Lamar , Shaboozey , Asake , and Anderson .Paak , and operates across North America , Europe , Africa , Asia , and South America .

EMPIRE ‘s recent international expansion includes moves into the Nordic region , Asia , and Africa , as well as a strategic global partnership with Zee Music Company in India.

EMPIRE Publishing reached the Top 10 of Billboard ‘s Hot 100 Publisher Rankings for the first time in 2024 , and in November 2025 promoted Vinny Kumar to President as it expanded into Africa.

The Latin America push comes as the region continues to gain importance in the global music business.

US Latin recorded music revenues reached $542.2 million in the first half of 2026 , up 8.6% year over year, according to the RIAA .

That outpaced the 6.9% growth of the overall US recorded music market and marked the 13th consecutive year of mid-year growth for US Latin music. Music Business Worldwide

_Originally reported by [Music Business Worldwide](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/empire-publishing-hires-rimas-publishings-emilio-morales-as-svp-business-development-for-latin-america/)._