Afro Nation co-founder Obi Asika is stepping back from his role at UTA to focus on his passion for Africa through his entertainment business, The Malachite Group, IQ can reveal.

Asika, who joined UTA after the company acquired his Echo Location Talent Agency back in 2021 and was promoted to partner last year, will remain part of UTA client teams for a handful of key artists.

“I have enjoyed every minute of my time as co-head London music at UTA over the last four years and have decided the time is now right for me to step away from that role, to devote more time to my global business, The Malachite Group – alongside our partners Helios Sports and Entertainment Group – on our mission to champion Africa and global diasporas,” says Asika.

Since launching in 2019, Afro Nation has become the world’s biggest Afrobeats festival, spawning editions in Accra (Ghana), Miami (US), Detroit (US), Portimão (Portugal) and Balneario De Carolina (Puerto Rico).

“I am inspired by the challenge of creating meaningful opportunities and building on the global success of events such as Afro Nation and Piano People,” adds Asika, “expanding an existing sports portfolio which includes the NBA Africa, Basketball Africa League and the Professional Fighters League, working alongside QA Venue Solutions and creating transformative opportunities at grassroots level and upwards that will open doors for young people and help unlock the continent’s vast potential.”

“We wish Obi every success as he focuses on his lifelong passion and advocacy for the music and culture of Africa”

UTA’s co-head of global music Sam Kirby Yoh will continue to lead the UK music team alongside Neil Warnock.

“We wish Obi every success as he focuses on his lifelong passion and advocacy for the music and culture of Africa,” says Kirby Yoh. “We continue to experience a period of rapid growth for UTA London as we’ve expanded our team of world class agents, supporting some of the most impactful artists of our times.”

UTA has emerged as an international leader in Afrobeats, heading the charge in its global explosion with artists such as Burna Boy, Tyla, Wizkid, Ayra Starr represented by its agents led out of London.

The agency’s roster also includes the likes of Karol G, Bad Bunny, Take That, Bring Me The Horizon, Chase & Status, Sleep Token, Jacob Collier, Zayn, Christine and the Queens, Dolly Parton, Rosalía, Underworld, Trivium, Kenya Grace, Sammy Virji and Nia Archives.

Additionally, UTA expanded its sports portfolio with the acquisition of Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers (ROOF) in 2024, and acquired the UK’s Curtis Brown Group in 2022.

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Here, IQ‘s proudly presents the second and final part of our behind the scenes feature on Latina sensation Karol G’s record-breaking Mañana Será Bonito Tour. Read part one here.

Unstoppable
And so to Europe, where Karol G has genuinely broken new ground – not only was it her first EU tour, but it was an arena tour, too – with some stadiums thrown in to bring the curtain down. Many artists and their teams would perhaps have approached their first steps in a new continent with trepidation, but not her. “We had a sense of the global opportunity at hand for Karol as soon as the USA tour launched in the summer of 2023,” says her worldwide agent, Jbeau Lewis of UTA.

“We started planning Latin America and Europe concurrently at that point, for spring and summer 2024, respectively.”
Lewis attributes the delay in hitting Europe to the desire of wanting to do things “‘right,’ as opposed to ‘right now.’” Besides, he adds, “Karol’s incredible success touring in North America and South America provided all the confidence we needed to step into arenas and stadiums in Europe. As a bona fide global star, we had no reason to think she could not be successful.”

Planning for the EU leg of the tour started in June 2023, when her team started reaching out directly to all of the arenas in markets of interest to ensure they could have complete control over the routing and to secure the best avails whilst European promoter conversations were ongoing. “Given the success of the previous US and Latin American tours, there was certainly an expectation from fans that they should get the same experience on the European shows,” says Jules de Lattre, her UTA EU agent. “European success was all about timing and pent-up demand – it made sense for Europe to take place at the high point of the Maňana Será Bonito campaign off the back of significant momentum built up in the US and Latin America.”

But the European leg was built on more than just vibes and a sense of destiny – cold, hard “significant” data was key, too, and her team were confident about the routing, the host cities, and which countries to visit. “We naturally focused on major Latin markets such as Spain, Portugal, and Italy, as well as the major European capitals with significant Spanish-speaking communities – so London, Paris, Zurich, and Amsterdam, says De Lattre. “In addition, we decided to add traditionally smaller markets in Antwerp, Cologne, and Berlin, where we expected the fans would travel to. All three cities sold out within a week, which is by far the best result of any Latin artist in these venues.”

Early planning allowed the team to hold second nights in London, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Paris, and multiple nights at the Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. Furthermore, the plan was to announce single shows in all markets before comfortably rolling into second nights where they could see the demand was evident. As an example, in Madrid, it quickly became apparent that a second, then a third date, was more than feasible. Then a fourth. And, says De Lattre, “all indicators pointed to there being a demand for at least two more Madrid shows.”

“The incredible live content European fans were seeing from shows in North and South America really created a sense of FOMO that all marketeers seek to achieve”

But within each market, some of the city choices were, he adds, dictated by the venues they wanted to present the show in. “There was the Sportpaleis in Antwerp, the impressive Lanxess Arena in Cologne, the Forum in Milan, and the Uber Arena
demographic, particularly Spanish speakers, and driving this level of devotion and fandom. Karol and her team are extremely creative, so as De Lattre says, they have to do very little in order to amplify that content to a wider audience and convert those eyeballs into ticket sales. “The incredible live content European fans were seeing from shows in North and South America over the last year really created a sense of FOMO that all marketeers seek to achieve,” he adds.

A creatively crafted tour announcement video featuring images of every city on the tour was a big part of that. But Lewis also credits a “musicality that fans can feel regardless of language barriers and a positive and magnetic personality and message,” that “all combine to move both culture and tickets.”

The European run, however, did require a few tweaks and changes to overcome certain challenges. “For the European leg, the ImageSFX team was tasked with taking the stadium tour and paring it down to fit in Europe’s arena environment,” says Heath. “Many of the special effects cues included in the stadium run were centred on the top of the stage’s rooftop, which doesn’t exist in the arena environment. Ahead of touching down, our team needed to find creative solutions to repurpose the cues from the roof onto the stage. Pyro product was decreased in size and different flame equipment was used in order to meet both safety standards and trim heights onstage.”

Screens were also changed slightly. “The stadium legs and the European arena leg have required different looks and methods to achieve the designers’ unified vision across all legs of the tour,” says Screenworks’ Brad Reiman. “It was key to achieving the same vibe at different scales, from velodromes in Europe to massive football stadiums in the US and South America, and the shows at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu.”

Artist manager Giraldo comments, “For Karol, the most important thing is the experience the fans get to live during her shows, since that is what creates a real connection between her fans, her music, and herself. All of the elements (lights, music, wardrobe, video, choreography, pyro, cameras) that fans get to experience are a true representation of Karol’s essence and authenticity, since she is involved in every single detail.”

Adding to that connection, the production also hands out PixMob’s LED wristbands to fans – effectively making them part of the show’s lighting design. “As an album, Mañana Será Bonito has such eye-catching visuals that it took on a life of its own once it was released,” says PixMob’s Hila Aviran, director of tours and entertainment. “We wanted to make sure fans felt like they were experiencing the album come to life and living every song as the show progressed. This shared vision was the inspiration for the super bright, vibrant colours and big moving effects in the audience.

“After we put up the second Bernabéu show, we checked online, and at that point, there were 493,000 people ahead of us in the queue”

“For the last shows in Madrid, the artist and her team wanted to go all out. So together, we designed a 6-LED PixMob wristband with 360° light diffusion. This wristband is made of sustainable materials (no silicone, no single-use plastic) and six mega LEDs powered by powerful alkaline batteries with the signature Mañana Será Bonito artwork across the wrist strap.”

Those four shows were certain to bring the tour to a fittingly grandiose conclusion – literally going out with a bang. “The goal was to create something truly special for the Spanish audience,” says Live Nation’s Spanish promoter Nacho Córdoba. “Karol G is the first artist to sell out four shows at the Bernabéu, breaking a record that no other artist had previously achieved.”

Just how crazy was demand for this particular show? “After we put up the second Bernabéu show, we checked online, and at that point, there were 493,000 people ahead of us in the queue!” recalls De Lattre.

Tomorrow Will Be Beautiful
For her team and those who work alongside her, the accolades, the acclaim, and the sheer passion she inspires in her fans is truly something special – and utterly deserved. “Simply put, no artist has bigger ambition or works harder – Karol has a sense of the moment like no other,” says Lewis. “She understands both the opportunity at hand now and the fact that she has built something sustainable for the long-term and will stop at nothing to achieve the goals she has set for herself.”

Then again, what else would you expect from a true bichota at the top of her game? “As with any successful organisation, the business takes the tone of its leadership – Karol is unequivocally the boss, and the way she treats her team and everyone she meets with respect and positivity is infectious,” continues Lewis. “Whether she crosses paths with the teamster in the morning or the janitor as she exits the venue, Karol always connects with them. The radiant power of her quick smile or ‘hello’ is undeniable.” For Karol G, it’s not just tomorrow that looks good – it’s the foreseeable and beyond.

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Leading global talent company UTA has announced the launch of a dedicated Christian music division.

The Nashville-based arm will be led by Jonathan Roberts, who joined UTA in May and possesses more than a decade of experience in Christian-focused music acts.

“We are witnessing an unprecedented moment in the music industry, where Christian music is resonating with wider audiences,” says Roberts. “UTA’s roster of Christian artists reflects the growing demand for the genre and we are thrilled to be part of this exciting moment alongside these artists.”

The division will serve as an extension of UTA’s Heartland initiative, founded in 2020 by UTA agent Nick Barnes, and will tap into the company’s music network and resources, spanning from music crossover to brand partnerships.

“We are leveraging the full strength of the agency, bringing together agents who are inspired by the genre and its connection with fans”

“UTA is deeply committed to the growth of the Christian music division,” says Scott Clayton, UTA partner and music co-head. “We are leveraging the full strength of the agency, bringing together agents who are inspired by the genre and its connection with fans.”

The agency’s growing roster of Christian artists includes acts such as Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Forrest Frank, Lecrae, Elevation Rhythm, Mosaic MSC, Bodie, Sam Rivera and Gio.

In June, UTA appointed veteran entertainment and tech entrepreneur and executive Bob Roback as COO. The company also expanded its sports portfolio with the acquisition of Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers (ROOF).

UTA also acquired the UK’s Curtis Brown Group in 2022 and opened new offices in London last year. Its pop and rock music clients include the likes of Bad Bunny, Take That, Dolly Parton, Florence and the Machine, Guns N’ Roses, Halsey, Jason Derulo, Lil Nas X, Lil Wayne, Wizkid, Lizzo, Paramore, Post Malone and Jonas Brothers.

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United Talent Agency (UTA) has promoted five music agents to partner, including UK office co-head Obi Asika.

The company acquired Asika’s Echo Location Talent Agency back in 2021, in a deal that saw him assume the role of co-head of UTA’s London office alongside Neil Warnock. Asika is also co-founder of festival brand Afro Nation.

UTA has also named US-based music agents Kevin Gimble, Steve Gordon, Jeffrey Hasson and Matt Meyer among 24 new partners, spanning talent, publishing, comedy touring, executive search, endorsements & voiceover, MediaLink and KLUTCH Sports Group.

“Each of these new partners embodies UTA’s commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration”

“Each of these new partners embodies UTA’s commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration, which translates into impeccable service for our clients,” says UTA president David Kramer. “We are thrilled to welcome them to the UTA partnership. I’m especially encouraged to see the wide variety of newer departments and businesses this group of partners hails from, reflecting the success of our expansion and diversification strategy over the past several years.”

Other new partners include Dan Constable (endorsements & voiceover), Devrie DeMarco (MediaLink), Doug Edley (comedy touring), Roysi Erbes (UTA executive search), Heidi Feigin (comedy touring), Andrew Feinberg (KLUTCH Sports Group), Christy Fletcher (publishing), Michele James (UTA executive search), Damon Lau (UTA Creators) and Byrd Leavell (publishing).

The list is completed by Albert Lee (publishing), Nicole Lynn (KLUTCH Sports Group), Nigel Meiojas (talent), Brian Nossokoff (talent), Jennifer Palacios (entertainment & culture marketing), Andrea Kerr Redniss, Donna Sharp, Christopher Vollmer and Mark Wagman (all MediaLink).

UTA has promoted almost 130 people over the past year. As part of the firm’s multi-year expansion strategy, recent acquisitions have included sports agency Rep 1 Baseball and One Legacy Sports Management by KLUTCH, Gen Z-focused JUV Consulting, literary agency Fletcher & Co. and executive search firm James & Co. The company has also opened new offices in Atlanta and expanded its presence in London.

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UTA agents James Wright and Olly Ward have spoken to IQ about their ambitions and touring strategy for British pop icons Take That.

The duo began working with the beloved group – Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen – last year, and have a huge year planned ahead.

This Life on Tour kicks off in the UK in Sheffield on 13 April, promoted by SJM Concerts, and includes six nights at The O2 in London, six at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena and seven shows at Manchester’s new Co-op Live, as well as multiple dates in Leeds and Dublin, with support from Olly Murs.

It will also take in stadiums in Middlesbrough, Nottingham, West Bridgford, Norwich, Bletchley, Southampton, Plymouth, Swansea and Bristol, followed by outdoor concerts in Cork, Dublin and Belfast.

“I think it’s fair to say that anyone in the industry would bite their arm off to work with Take That”

“I think it’s fair to say that anyone in the industry would bite their arm off to work with Take That,” says Wright. “We have great existing relationships with their manager Chris Dempsey and SJM, so when the opportunity arose to work with them and we got to know Gary, Howard and Mark as well, it felt like a great fit from the off.

“Take That’s legendary status in popular culture, as well as their enduring prominence and value to the music industry over the years made this such an enticing prospect.”

The band, who were previously represented by Wasserman Music, were joined by original members Robbie Williams and Jason Orange on their 2011 Progress Tour, which sold more than 1.8 million tickets to become the biggest in UK history. Barlow, Donald and Owen have continued as a trio since Williams returned to his solo career and Orange retired from the spotlight ten years ago.

Their 2024 European tour, which is being staged in support of their ninth studio album This Life, will go on to visit Germany, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Portugal in June/July. A slate of dates in Australia and New Zealand have also been added for October/November.

“When it comes to touring, the band are hard working, committed and eager to break new ground”

“The new album is something special, such a positive record that adds to their impressive catalogue of hits, and feel like the group are in a great place right now,” adds Ward.

Here, Wright and Ward delve further into their plans for the group both at home and abroad…

What can you bring to a legendary band like Take That at this stage of their career?

OW: “From our initial meetings, it didn’t take long to establish a multitude of tangible things that we could bring to the project, and add to the wider narrative as they build into their fourth decade together. It also became clear that UTA are best placed to deliver the band’s creative and business ambitions; to represent them as a band and as individuals.”

JW: “As a band we can really service them well at UTA, and given the various interests of Gary, Howard and Mark our full service agency can add value to them all as artists at every turn, and we can help craft their careers across a range of industries. When it comes to touring, the band are hard working, committed and eager to break new ground. Our team is here to realise an ambitious creative strategy which is driven by the band and management as much as us, to take them into new territories and explore their global reach.”

OW: “UTA is truly global, so this is something we know how to drive forward and deliver in terms of touring. Then we have the full breadth of our departments, including but not limited to Music Brands Partnerships, Corporate and Private Events, Music Marketing, Music Crossover, IQ, UTA Foundation and Ventures, which are already bringing exciting conversations and opportunities to the table.”

“We’ve detected particular demand from German, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese-speaking countries”

What is the strategy behind their upcoming tour? 

OW: “There’s been unprecedented demand for the upcoming This Life on Tour, with same-day sell outs and new dates added to the UK run, which now has 41 arena and stadium dates in 17 cities. Plus we have 20 dates in eight European countries already announced, including two countries the band have never been to before.”

What are your plans for the group internationally?

JW: “Using the data and analytics of UTA IQ we’ve identified audiences for Take That in places they didn’t believe they existed. By pairing this incredible tool with the experience of the team we’re quickly building valuable insights into new primary markets. For example, digging deeper than streaming and social media metrics, we’ve detected particular demand from German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese-speaking countries. Given they hadn’t visited places like Spain since the 2010’s, the strategy is to build in those burgeoning territories and more. There’s a whole host of new countries for us to explore, which we’ll be announcing in 2024.”

OW: “Gary recently visited Australia to announce their Australian tour for the end of the year to a great reaction, and we have Sophie Ellis-Bextor as main support.”

What sort of demand are you seeing and how does their popularity abroad compare with the UK?

JW: “Domestically, they are as popular as ever – the new album saw the strongest week one sales of any British act in 2023 as it landed at No.1 – and what is especially exciting to see is the growing popularity around the world and the potential that brings.”

Ultimately, what do you hope to achieve with the band? 

OW: “Take That possesses a curiosity and genuine appetite, and UTA are here to match it. We want to see the biggest and best shows of their career, open doors globally and help inspire the next step in Take That’s incredible career. The band are excited about the prospect of reaching such significant new audiences for the first time, and we want to nurture that growth and sustain the enthusiasm. Whilst we’re excited and proud of how the new team have hit the ground running with these major announcements for 2024, we’re already plotting years beyond that. There’s a long term vision at UTA for all the members of Take That which we can’t want to see unfold.”

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Afro Nation co-founder Obi Asika has told IQ that further international growth could be on the cards for the world’s biggest Afrobeats festival.

Burna Boy and Wizkid will headline the brand’s debut Miami, Florida edition, presented by Event Horizon, SMADE and Live Nation at LoanDepot Park from 27-28 May, while previous Afro Nation festivals have taken place in Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean since the brand launched in 2019.

“We launched Afro Nation Miami recently and would love to do more shows in the US,” Asika tells IQ. “Brazil would be an incredible place to host an Afro Nation show and it is very much on our roadmap for the future, and of course more shows on the African continent.

“A lot goes into selecting locations for an Afro Nation festival, the beauty of the site, event infrastructure, travel logistics and accommodation for guests, but most importantly, everywhere you’ll find an Afro Nation event will be bringing joy to sites of cultural significance around the world.”

“Afrobeats is still a relatively new genre in terms of worldwide popularity and we are on a mission to help elevate the next generation of global superstars”

Event Horizon co-founder Asika has been co-head of UTA’s UK office since the company acquired his Echo Location Talent Agency in 2021, and will appear on The Open Forum: The industry health check panel at this year’s ILMC.

The leading agent stresses the importance of Afro Nation providing a platform for the next generation of talent, as well as showcasing globally renowned acts.

“Afrobeats is still a relatively new genre in terms of worldwide popularity and we are on a mission to help elevate the next generation of global superstars, so it was incredible to see such an enormous outpouring of love for artists such as Rema, CKay, Major League DJz and Uncle Waffles, as much as it was humbling to see how far artists like Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy have come,” says Asika.

“We’re sure to witness some big moments with artists on an impressive trajectory like Fireboy DML and Asake this summer, and also like bringing massive non-English language acts like Dadju to even wider audiences.”

Last year, the festival marked its North American debut with Afro Nation Puerto Rico, as well as its return to Portugal for the second time and Ghana, for the first time since 2019. A Mexican edition had also been planned for September 2020, before the pandemic intervened.

“In 2023, we will be building on our VIP experience, elevating the beach club events and really optimising the stunning site that we build this festival on”

The 2023 Portugal event is scheduled for Portimão from 28-30 June, headlined by Burna Boy, 50 Cent and Booba.

“We’ve just announced the first phase line-up for Afro Nation Portugal 2023 and are really excited about the opportunity with the show this year,” says Asika. “We always strive to represent as many genres and artists from as many countries as possible, led by Africa, and we have a great platform to build on after an incredibly successful event in Portugal last year.

“2022 saw a great deal of change, with a huge, brand new main stage, raised production levels and a completely unique backstage artist village concept that we commissioned. In 2023, we will be building on our VIP experience, elevating the beach club events and really optimising the stunning site that we build this festival on.

“Evolving our infrastructure in an aesthetically pleasing way that is harmonious to our beach setting is incredibly important to us, in the same way we always look to support the local industry and economies by working collaboratively and constructively with everyone around us.”

Asika says ticket sales for Afro Nation Portugal’s 2022 edition “surpassed all our objectives” despite logistical issues related to the pandemic.

“The Portugal show doubled in size and we sold 50% of our tickets for 2023 before we even announced our line up, so we have built an incredibly loyal fanbase for the brand,” he says. “There were difficulties in getting access to certain equipment as our industry still felt the after effects of the pandemic and one thing we have done as a business to combat that is to invest more in owning our own inventory. For example we have invested into owning our own main stage, security barriers and steel shields to use at our festivals in Portugal and West Africa, and also to allow touring artists and other promotions – such as Global Citizens and Black Star Line Festival in 2022 – to access it.”

“We are generally hearing good things about ticket sales and if you have a strong brand with a clear identity then people will keep buying tickets”

He continues: “One issue we have faced with building events in multiple territories such as Ghana, Puerto Rico, Miami and Portugal is around artist travel and visa difficulties, but this is part of our commitment to having as much global representation on stage as we possibly can.

“Ticketing can also be an issue, a process we want to make as easy and accessible as possible, so we have partnered with Easol to sell our tickets and introduced them to African payment gateways so they can take payment from customers using African cards. We pride ourselves on partnering with innovative technologies and removing obstacles in the industry.”

While Asika acknowledges there is some concern in the live events industry over the potential effect on ticket sales from the cost of living crisis, he is feeling positive about the season ahead.

“We are generally hearing good things about ticket sales and if you have a strong brand with a clear identity then people will keep buying tickets,” he adds. “Due to the backlog from Covid there were too many shows last year. Now things are back to normal and we broadly have a positive outlook on the events industry. The travel industry also seems to be recovering well and, as a promoter who offers international event experiencers, that’s very promising to see.”

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UTA agent Gary Howard warns ticket prices will likely have to increase to cope with rising costs as the business readies itself for another packed 12 months.

Howard, who represents the likes of N-Dubz, Craig David, Blue, Steps and UB40 ft. Ali Campbell, is coming off a sterling 2022, which saw him named The O2’s Agent of the Year after handling eight shows at the London venue – more than any other agent.

“2023 will again be a busy year for most although some of the logistical issues caused by Covid and Brexit will still be with us for at least another 12 months,” he tells IQ. “Also, I think ticket prices will have to increase to deal with rising costs of production and the current cost-of-living [crisis].”

The veteran pop agent describes the sheer volume of concerts held last year as an “eye-opener”.

“I have never seen so many stadium shows happen at the same time”

“It was a wild year,” he says. “I have never seen so many stadium shows happen at the same time. On Glastonbury weekend alone, you had BST on with three nights, Red Hot Chili Peppers at London Stadium, Ed Sheeran at Wembley, Diana Ross and Billie Eilish at The O2 and hundreds of other shows happening at the same time – and that was just in London!

“My expectations were high as I had four massive arena tours out and a huge summer programme as well, and the year didn’t disappoint.”

Personal highlights included hip-hop trio N-Dubz’ UK arena comeback tour, which sold more than 250,000 tickets, and an emotional UB40 ft. Ali Campbell tour in memory of late bandmate Astro, who died in November 2021.

“Seeing [Astro] digitally up on the massive screens performing Rat in mi Kitchen in February was so emotional,” says Howard. “I, like most of the audience was brought to tears. I really loved that man, he was a top fella who had time for everyone and would always greet me with a big smile and say in his Brummie accent, ‘Alright Millwall.'”

“I just hope that by the end of 2023, I’m staring at 2024 with a big smile on my face as we have so much new talent breaking globally”

He adds: “Also, N-Dubz selling out four O2 Arenas and 23 arenas across the tour when most of the industry said we couldn’t sell out Shepherd’s Bush Empire, and that I was apparently mad for trying is something that will always stick with me. But more than that, Tulisa from the band calling me with tears of joy the moment it all flew out of the window saying, ‘We did it Gary. No one believed us, but we did it.’ That was also a major highlight.”

In closing, Howard discusses his high hopes for some of the newer additions to his roster.

“I just hope that by the end of 2023, I’m staring at 2024 with a big smile on my face as we have so much new talent breaking globally like JVKE, Natalie Jane, Johnny Orlando, Leah Kate, Bellah Mae and Junior Andre. It would be great for some of them to break through in a major way. We are definitely expecting that they will!”

Howard is also excited to be working with singer-songwriter Jess Glynne, who recently signed to UTA for worldwide representation.

“She is just the most amazing talent and a true British icon,” gushes Howard. “I represent her with Oliver Ward and we are currently building the comeback plan alongside her management at Roc Nation and her new label EMI. I just can’t wait.”

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Leading global talent, entertainment and sports agency UTA has elevated 67 colleagues across 27 divisions in its latest round of promotions.

US-based Mackenzie Coberley (coordinator), Brennan Duffy (agent), Noah Friedlander (agent), Alana Gitt (agent), Akhil Hegde (agent), Lauren Holland (agent), Alexis Lesko (coordinator), Gabriella Librizzi (coordinator), Lauren McClusky (coordinator) and Hope Murray (coordinator) have all been upped in the firm’s music department.

The promotions recognise contributions at various levels of the company, and also include departments such as motion picture literary, news & broadcasting, production, publishing, talent, theatre, television literary, television talent, Asian business
development, audio, brand studio, comedy touring, communications, digital talent, endorsements & voiceover, finance & accounting, fine arts, gaming & Esports, HR, IT, IQ, media rights, MediaLink, UTA Foundation, Ventures and Web 3.0.

“Providing opportunities for advancement is core to our culture, and we are proud to share in this group’s success”

“Over the past year, UTA has accelerated our momentum with new acquisitions, investments in our client capabilities, and key hires,” says UTA president David Kramer. “This growth could not be possible without the hard work, ambition, and collaborative nature of the colleagues we promoted today. Providing opportunities for advancement is core to our culture, and we are proud to share in this group’s success and excited to see what their next chapters at UTA will bring.”

The promotions represent a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and include over 60% who identify as women and 35% who identify as people of colour, while 80% of those promoted to agent started their careers in UTA’s agent training programme.

Earlier this year, UTA announced its largest partner class ever-elevating 26 partners across 15 divisions.

The promotions come amidst a time of substantial development and growth for UTA. In July, it confirmed a strategic partnership with global investment firm EQT Private Equity and recently announced the acquisitions of literary and talent group Curtis Brown Group and software and data analytics company MediaHound.

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UTA has announced that Anna Gregorek will join the agency in the newly created position of senior director of music brand partnerships (MBP).

Based in London, Gregorek will lead the UK brand business for UTA’s MBP division and brings more than two decades of experience in the branding and music space.

Prior to joining UTA, she served as a music commercial director at YMU Group, where she led brand partnerships and strategy for all management artists including Years & Years, Take That, Steve Aoki, Clean Bandit and MNEK. Earlier in her career, she held roles at Warner Music Group, EMI Music, Dr Martens, Red Bull and North One Television.

“As we continue to expand our international footprint, Anna will be an incredible asset to our team”

“As we continue to expand our international footprint, Anna will be an incredible asset to our team and we’re thrilled to welcome her to UTA,” say MBP co-heads, Alisann Blood and Toni Wallace. “She’s well respected within the industry and has extensive experience in pairing artists with European and global brands.”

In the past year, UTA has acquired strategic advisory firm MediaLink and new hires in the MBP division with Irene Agbontaen and Sean Hendrie and additional hires in the endorsements and voiceover division.

The company also acquired top UK literary and talent agency Curtis Brown Group and US-based software and data analytics company MediaHound.

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Talent agency UTA has announced two major promotions, elevating David Kramer to president and Jay Sures to vice-chair.

The US-based duo have served as co-presidents of the company since 2017.

In an internal email seen by Deadline, UTA co-founder and CEO Jeremy Zimmer says Kramer’s promotion “acknowledges the important role he serves as my close strategic partner, leader of a large part of UTA’s operations, and forward-thinking business builder”.

“Again and again, David has been a trusted ally to clients and a passionate champion of our people and our culture,” says Zimmer. “Having David as our president underscores my confidence in the future direction and stewardship of our business.”

Sures, meanwhile, is hailed by Zimmer as “the ultimate power player”.

“We will rely even more on Jay’s unique blend of instincts, intelligence, deep connections, and external relationships”

“He has played a major role in systematically building our television group, including literary and talent, into an industry leader while representing a wide roster of clients,” he says. “He also oversees, and continues to grow, our news, speakers, and culture and leadership groups. As vice-chairman, we will rely even more on Jay’s unique blend of instincts, intelligence, deep connections, and external relationships to continue to drive our business forward across many dimensions.”

Earlier this summer, Kramer led UTA’s acquisition of UK agency Curtis Brown and played a key role bringing in global finance firm EQT as UTA’s largest outside investor.

Sures, meanwhile, has helped build the agency’s TV group and oversees UTA’s news, speakers and culture and leadership businesses.

will enable both executives to focus on their respective strengths. were confirmed days after UTA announced the hiring of veteran music agent Scott Mantell, who most recently served as a partner and co-head of international touring at ICM.

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