ICM Partners

ICM Partners was a talent and literary agency with offices in Los Angeles, New York City, Washington, D.C., and London.[1] The company represented clients in the fields of motion pictures, television, music, publishing, live performance, branded entertainment and new media. Its corporate headquarters were in Constellation Place in Century City, Los Angeles.[2][3][4] In 2022, ICM became part of Creative Artists Agency.[5]

International Creative Management Partners
TypePrivate
IndustryTalent and literary agency
Founded1975 (1975) in Century City, Los Angeles, California, US
FounderMarvin Josephson
Defunct2022
FateAcquired by Creative Artists Agency
HeadquartersConstellation Place
Century City, Los Angeles, California, US
Area served
Represented clients in the fields of film, television, music, publishing, live performance, branded content, and new media
Websitewww.icmpartners.com
Constellation Place, the headquarters of the agency, overlooking Westfield Century City.

History

Formation and growth

International Creative Management was formed in 1975 through the merger of Marvin Josephson's International Famous Agency and Freddie Fields' Creative Management Associates (CMA).[6][7][8][9]: 51  ICM's first president was Freddie Fields,[10] although he didn't last long in the role.[11] Other important figures in the merger were Sam Cohn[12] and Guy McElwaine of CMA.

In 1985, ICM acquired London-based talent agency Duncan Heath Associates, which in 1991 merged with ICM London, with Heath became chairman of the merged company. [13]

"In 1992, Josephson passed control of ICM onto Jeff Berg, Sam Cohn, and Jim Wiatt, though Josephson maintained a leadership role and continued to represent personal clients."[8]

In 2005, the company raised a financing round of $75 million from Rizvi Traverse.[14]

In 2006, ICM acquired the literary agency Broder Webb Chervin Silbermann.[15]

ICM Partners

In 2012, the agency completed a management buyout and formed a partnership with the new name, ICM Partners.[16]

In March 2018, ICM acquired the Just For Laughs comedy festival, as part of a partnership with Howie Mandel.[17][18] A 51% majority was later sold to Bell Media and Groupe CH to maintain a primarily-Canadian ownership.[19] In June that year, ICM formed a partnership with esports-focused talent agency Evolved.[20][21]

In December 2019, ICM Partners sold a one-third equity stake in the company to Crestview Partners, with the expressed goal to grow the company within the representation business with an emphasis on International growth.[22]

In March 2020, ICM partnered with Primary Talent International, a London-based music touring agency with over 700 touring clients.[23] In August, they bought a significant minority interest in Albatros, a literary agency based in Stockholm and moved partner Pete Stone to Sweden to run ICM Europe.[24] In October, the agency purchased Stellar Group, the largest football/soccer agency in the world and rebranded it ICM Stellar Sports.[25] (Stellar Group CEO Jonathan Barnett was listed by Forbes as the No. 1 sports agent in the world by Forbes magazine in 2019.)[26]

In July 2021, ICM Partners and ICM Stellar Sports purchased one of the leading NFL representation agencies, Select Sports Group, a Texas based company headed up by Jeff Nalley and Erik Burkhardt.[27]

Acquisition by CAA

In September 2021, it was announced that ICM would be acquired by Creative Artists Agency (CAA).[28] The deal closed in June 2022 at a value of $750 million. Following the acquisition, 105 positions from ICM were set to be eliminated, with about 425 staffers and agents joining CAA.[29]

Departments

Television and movies

ICM Partners' television and motion picture departments represented film actors, actresses, directors and writers. The departments also featured a division dedicated to production professionals such as cinematographers, editors, second unit directors, composers, production designers, costume designers and visual effects supervisors. The television department also represented on-air and creative talent.[30][31]

Publishing

ICM Partners represented writers and editors including Patricia Cornwell,[32] Thomas Friedman,[33] Anna Quindlen, E.L. Doctorow, Walter Isaacson, Carl Hiaasen, Tom Bissell,[34] Anthony Swofford, Chris Cleave, Candace Bushnell, John Feinstein,[35] Ann Patchett, Carol Higgins Clark and Steve Martin. In addition, the agency represents the estates of Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), Arthur Miller,[36] E.B. White, and Tennessee Williams, among others.[37]

Music, comedy, and lectures

ICM Partners' concert and live appearances department represented artists in music and comedy as well as lecturers. ICM Partners acquired New York City speakers agency Royce Carlton, Inc. in 2017.[38] From the acquisition until late 2019, the lecture division still went by the Royce Carlton name. On October 16, 2019, the division rebranded to ICM Speakers and relocated to the Washington, D.C., office. ICM Speakers' division services included the management and representation of professional public speakers. A few notable clients included author Mitch Albom,[38] author Jon Meacham, TV host Karamo Brown,[39] and activist Nadia Murad.[40]

Branded entertainment

ICM Partners' global branded entertainment division's services ranged from celebrity endorsements, product placement, and music tour sponsorship[41] to brand integration, such as the creation and packaging of original branded films and television shows.[42] The agency's celebrity endorsements department serviced all ICM Partners' film and television talent for on-camera, print and voiceover commercial work as well as for paid media campaigns.[43]

References
  1. "ICM International Creative Management - Concerts". Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  2. Nash, James. "Lights, camera, Katrina: rebuilding of Louisiana will affect production in L.A." Los Angeles Business Journal at AllBusiness. Retrieved on February 5, 2012. "[...] ICM Partners, the Los Angeles-based talent and literary agency."
  3. Vincent, Roger. "Energy cells help power Century City skyscraper." Los Angeles Times. February 5, 2012. Retrieved on February 5, 2012.
  4. Miller, Daniel (June 4, 2012). "ICM Partners Forms Digital Strategy Division, Hires Group Head". The Hollywood Reporter.
  5. Hirsch, Lauren (June 28, 2022). "Creative Artists Agency acquires ICM in deal that could transform Hollywood representation: With companies like Apple, Amazon and Netflix muscling in on Hollywood, it's been harder for smaller agencies to compete". The New York Times.
  6. Genzlinger, Neil (May 31, 2022). "Marvin Josephson, Who Scored Big Deals for Stars, Dies at 95". The New York Times.
  7. Barnes, Mike (May 19, 2022). "Marvin Josephson, Founder of ICM, Dies at 95". The Hollywood Reporter.
  8. Murphy, J. Kim (May 19, 2022). "Marvin Josephson, Founder of ICM Partners, Dies at 95". Variety.
  9. Abramowitz, Rachel (2000). Is That a Gun In Your Pocket? Women's Experience of Power in Hollywood (hardcover ed.). New York: Random House.
  10. USA Today: "Legendary producer/agent Freddie Fields dies" by John Rogers December 12, 2007
  11. "Freddie Fields Will Leave Talent Agency to Do Films". The New York Times. June 18, 1975.
  12. Singer, Mark (January 11, 1982). "Profiles: Dealmaker" (fee required). The New Yorker. pp. 40–84. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  13. Sanghera, Sathnam (January 28, 2002). "AGENT PROVOCATEUR". Financial Times. Archived from the original on April 14, 2002. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
  14. "ICM Finalizes Management Buyout; Partnership Excludes Former Chairman Jeff Berg". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  15. Hoffman, Claire (July 29, 2006). "From Boutique Agency to ICM Brass". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  16. Miller, Daniel (May 23, 2012). "ICM Finalizes Management Buyout; Partnership Excludes Former Chairman Jeff Berg". The Hollywood Reporter.
  17. "Just For Laughs sold to Howie Mandel and American company". CBC News. March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  18. "'Montreal is the mecca': Howie Mandel joins JFL bid, will keep HQ here". Montreal Gazette. March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  19. "Bell Media, Groupe CH among group that has acquired Just For Laughs". Montreal Gazette. June 8, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  20. Fogel, Stefanie (June 14, 2018). "ICM Partners Teams Up With Esports Talent Agency Evolved". Variety. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  21. Hipes, Patrick (June 14, 2018). "ICM Partners Inks Partnership With Esports Talent Agency Evolved". Deadline. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  22. Littleton, Cynthia (December 16, 2019). "ICM Partners Sells One-Third Stake to Crestview Partners for $150 Million".
  23. "ICM Partners Acquires U.K. Music Agency Primary Talent International". Billboard.
  24. Andreeva, Nellie (August 12, 2020). "ICM Partners Acquires Stake In Swedish Lit Agency Albatros; Pete Stone Will Relocate To Stockholm To Spearhead Joint Efforts". Deadline.
  25. "ICM Partners buys Stellar Group, with 800 athlete clients". Los Angeles Times. October 8, 2020.
  26. Belzer, Jason. "The World's Most Powerful Sports Agents 2019: Soccer's Jonathan Barnett Takes Over At No. 1". Forbes.
  27. "ICM Stellar Sports sees Select acquisition as first major growth step". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com.
  28. Fleming, Mike Jr.; Andreeva, Nellie (September 27, 2021). "CAA Acquiring ICM Partners; Will Be Biggest Agency Link-Up Since WMA-Endeavor". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  29. Welk, Brian (June 28, 2022). "CAA Completes ICM Acquisition in $750 Million Deal". TheWrap. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  30. Adalian, Josef. "A Worldly View of Things : In Depth : TVWeek - Television Industry news, TV ratings, analysis, celebrity event photos". TVWeek. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  31. Andreeva, Nellie (September 10, 2012). "Bob Broder Leaving ICM Partners To Run Chuck Lorre's Company". Deadline.
  32. "Angelina Jolie teams with Fox 2000 - Entertainment News, Film News, Media". Variety. April 21, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  33. "Toni Morrison - Biography". Nobelprize.org. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  34. "ICM Agent Heather Schroder Assures Authors: 'Things Are Bad, But the Sky is Not Falling'". The New York Observer. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008.
  35. "John Feinstein - Authors". Random House. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  36. "VQR » A Portrait of Arthur Miller". Vqronline.org. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  37. BARNES, MIKE (November 19, 2020). "Mitch Douglas, Longtime ICM Literary Agent, Dies at 78: Mitch Douglas, a literary agent who spent three decades at ICM and represented the likes of Tennessee Williams, Graham Greene, Arthur Miller, Lanford Wilson and Howard Koch, has died. He was 78". The Hollywood Reporter.
  38. SUN, REBECCA (October 24, 2017). "ICM Partners Acquires Speakers Agency Royce Carlton: The bureau's roster includes Mitch Albom, Fareed Zakaria, Anne-Marie Slaughter and former ambassador Samantha Power". The Hollywood Reporter.
  39. Andreeva, Nellie (January 27, 2020). "ICM Partners Elevates Six Agents To Partners". Deadline Hollywood.
  40. Chase, Lisa (October 16, 2018). "WOMEN AND POWER: To Binky Urban, 'Power' Is a Male Word". The Cut.
  41. "R&B/Hip-Hop, Jazz, Pop Briefs: Beyonce, Freddie Hubbard, Will Downing". Billboard.biz. Archived from the original on May 5, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  42. "Entertainment A-List No. 5: Carol Goll". Ad Age. May 23, 2011.
  43. Garfield, Bob (September 27, 2005). "Taking Cadillac from Stodgy to Sexy: Kate Walsh - Advertising Age - Ad Review". Adage.com. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
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