In the latest round of changes among executives at the major record labels, Antonio Reid, a top hit maker at the Universal Music Group, will leave the company to become a judge on “The X Factor.”

“The X Factor” is a British show by Simon Cowell whose American version will begin on Fox in September.

Mr. Reid, who is known as L.A., is the chairman and chief executive of the Universal Island Def Jam Music Group. He has a history of signing and producing star talent like Justin Bieber. Mr. Reid was offered the “X Factor” job and signed a deal this week, according to an executive who was apprised of the deal but was not authorized to speak on the record.

Mr. Reid is under contract to Universal through the end of 2011, but will likely be released early, according to that executive.

Representatives of Universal, Fox and Syco, Mr. Cowell’s company, which produces “X Factor,” declined to comment. Mr. Reid’s move was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Attention has been heaped on Mr. Cowell’s search for “X Factor” judges, in part because the singing competition is popular in Britain. He has encouraged the speculation, and expressed interest in having people like Paula Abdul, a former judge on “American Idol,” on board.

On the show, each category of singers is paired with a judge who mentors the singers.

“The judges compete along with the contestants,” Mr. Cowell said in an interview in January.

Mr. Reid’s future at Universal has been uncertain since the beginning of this year, when Lucian Grainge became chief executive and set out on a broad $138 million cost-cutting campaign. Known as a big spender, Mr. Reid was also caught between Mr. Grainge and Barry Weiss, a former Sony Music lieutenant whom Mr. Grainge hired for an unspecified top-level job.

In January, Mr. Reid was said to have been offered a new label deal at Universal, where he has worked since 2004, but he turned it down.