UK’s Crockford Mgmt allies with US’s Friends at Work
London-based Crockford Management has announced a partnership with Los Angeles’ Friends at Work, founded by veteran artist manager Ty Stiklorius.
The new joint venture will see the companies pool their resources to provide their clients with management services worldwide, according to a launch announcement. The partnership stems from a meeting between Lily Crockford, Crockford Management partner and daughter of founder and CEO Paul, and Friends at Work’s president of management, Adina Friedman, at a Grammys event in LA last year.
Says Lily: “In a very competitive industry it’s hard to find people you both want to work with and trust. Crockford Management has always been an independent company, and that hasn’t stopped us having global success, but partnering with other managers who share our values and drive can only further benefit our roster.
“Upon meeting Adina I knew instantly that this was the kind of team that we could build something special with.”
“Partnering with other managers who share our values and drive can only further benefit our roster”
Crockford Management’s roster includes Mark Knopfler, Youngr, Rothwell, Wild Front and Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, while Friends at Work represents the likes of John Legend, Lindsey Stirling, Raphael Saadiq and RuthAnne.
“We are so happy to be partnering with Crockford Management,” adds Friedman. “When I met Lily I realised we shared the same vision and was impressed by her experience with high-powered artists like Jessie J and Iggy Azalea.
“When it came time for us to find a partner on the other side of the Atlantic, I knew Crockford would be the perfect team to provide our clients the level of service to further set them up for global success.”
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Coda launches Independent Sports agency
Leading UK booking outfit Coda Agency today took the wraps off its new sports agency, Coda Independent Sports.
A joint venture with Independent Talent Group (with which Coda formed a strategic partnership last year) and Paul and Barney Crockford of Crockford Management, Coda Independent Sports aims to become “one of the top global sports agencies”, according to Coda.
Initially focusing on football, Coda Independent Sports – incorporated on 12 January 2018, but officially launched today (11 December) – already counts among its clients Premier League players including Jordon Ibe (AFC Bournemouth), Kortney Hause (Wolverhampton Wanderers) and Kadeem Harris (Cardiff City).
Paul Crockford, whose company manages Mark Knopfler, Youngr, Wild Front and Blue Americans, says: “Coda Independent Sports is a unique offering combining business expertise with personal attention and access to a global infrastructure across all media unparallelled in the sports field.”
Coda partner James Whitting adds: “We are also really pleased to be teaming up with the Crockfords in launching our sports agency, Coda Independent Sports. Just need to sign some Arsenal players and that will be job done!”
“Coda Independent Sports is a unique offering”
In other news, Debbie Ward has joined Coda as the agency’s lead on brand partnerships, sync and corporate.
Ward has more than 20 years’ experience developing brand collaborations in media and live music, including a nine-year spell leading brand partnerships for MAMA Festivals/Live Nation and, more recently, working on the launch of Global’s new UK festival business. Ward exited Global earlier this year to take up a CCO role at women’s collective AllBright.
She comments: “I’m really looking forward to this new challenge. Coda has a stellar reputation and an epic portfolio of artists. There’s so much opportunity to collaborate with brands and talent to create content-rich, engaging and potentially ground-breaking solutions.”
Adds Whitting: “We are delighted to welcome Debbie to Coda. Debbie comes with a vast knowledge of brand partnerships and we are very excited for the prospect of the additional services and revenues she is going to bring to our clients.”
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