Caroline Yim and Zach Iser join WME as partners

Caroline Yim and Zach Iser have joined WME as partners and co-heads of hip-hop/R&B, alongside James Rubin and Kevin Shivers, after nearly three years at CAA.

Yim and Iser joined CAA in 2018 after a long bidding war to land the two agents following their exit from ICM Partners.

The two agents brought SZA, Future, Anderson Paak, Daniel Caesar, Rae Sremmurd, ScHoolboy Q, Jhené Aiko, Kehlani, The Internet and Willow Smith to CAA in 2018. The pair are yet to reveal which artists will be making the jump with them to WME.

“Caroline and Zach reflect the future of the music business, having already built an incredible roster of artists through their entrepreneurial approach to client representation,” reads a statement from Scott Clayton, Lucy Dickins and Kirk Sommer, co-heads of WME’s music division. “Their addition underscores our commitment to the hip-hop/R&B space, and their energy will serve as a tremendous benefit to both our colleagues and clients.”

Yim and Iser say: “We are excited to bring our 25 plus years of combined experience to the innovative and forward-thinking music department at WME led by Scott, Lucy and Kirk.

“Caroline and Zach reflect the future of the music business, through their entrepreneurial approach to representation”

“We are blessed to represent extraordinary, ground-breaking talent, and we look forward to working alongside their management teams to guide their multi-dimensional artistry to the highest levels utilising the breadth of resources that WME has to offer. We are eager to continue to expand our business and build upon WME’s strength in the hip-hop/R&B space.”

Yim began her career at MCA Records, before joining ICM Partners. Alongside her work as an agent, Yim is on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters LA, a community-based mentoring programme for young people, predominantly from low-income, single-parent households.

In early 2020, Yim co-founded the Asian American Collective, a community organisation that fosters growth, education and connection for current and future Asian American creatives.

Iser began his career as a talent manager and promoter in New York City before joining ICM Partners where he quickly became the youngest agent at the company.

Iser was named in Billboard’s ’40 Under 40 power list’; Variety’s ‘New Leaders’ list in 2016; Hollywood Reporter’s ’35 Under 35  Next Generation of Rising Executives’ in 2018 and for each of the past six years, has been featured on Billboard’s ‘Hip-Hop and R&B Power Players List’.

WME recently hired country music agent Aaron Tannenbaum as a partner based in its Nashville office.

Lucy Dickins, co-head of WME’s music division, will be participating in The Agency Business 2021 session at this year’s ILMC on Thursday 4 March.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.