UTA has acquired London-based talent agency Echo Location, and Echo’s founder, Obi Asika, has been named the co-head of UTA’s UK office where he will serve alongside Neil Warnock.
The move helps bolster UTA’s global music footprint, as Echo Location represents electronic and hip hop artists such as Diplo, Marshmello, Major Lazer, Alesso, Bugzy Malone and many more. Asika will be responsible for driving UTA’s music business and expanding its existing practice areas including comedy, sports, marketing and other verticals.
Asika will report to co-heads of Worldwide Music Samantha Kirby Yoh and David Zedeck. Senior agent Belinda Law and a group of other agents including Myles Jessop, Tom Jones, Jack Clark, Hannah Shogbola, Kazia Davy and Ishsha Bourguet will also join Asika at UTA.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
“Obi and his team have built an impressive business and have done excellent work taking their artists to the next level,” UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer said in a statement. “He is a highly respected leader in the music industry and is well-versed in the global entertainment marketplace. This acquisition further amplifies our efforts to expand UTA’s presence, and I know that alongside Neil, Obi’s leadership, drive, and passion will be a vital addition not only to the UK office, but for UTA at large.”
“Throughout the years Echo has been approached by several suitors, and as we evaluated the agency landscape, UTA’s strength, ingenuity and true commitment to their artists really stood out. UTA was ultimately the perfect fit,” Echo Location’s Obi Asika said in a statement. “Jeremy, Sam, David, and Neil have shown strong and thoughtful leadership as they have built out the music division and the company’s global influence. I am so proud of what the team at Echo has achieved and I am fired up as to what we can all accomplish together.”
Based in London, Echo Location Talent Agency was founded in 2012 by Asika. The agency’s music roster has a focus on Afrobeats, grime, drill, hip-hop and electronic music. Some other clients include Chase & Status, Davido, Galantis, Gorgon City, Giggs, Hannah Wants, Pendulum, Pa Salieu, Sampa The Great, Teni, Clara Amfo, Mistajam, Charlie Sloth, Ocean Wisdom, DJEZ and Wizkid.\
Echo’s clients will have access to UTA’s full scope of services across multiple practice areas including fine art, licensing, branding, video games, digital content, publishing, television, motion pictures, speaking and more.
During the pandemic, UTA’s music group has added partner and co-head of worldwide music Samantha Kirby Yoh, as well as agents Jeffrey Hasson, Brett Saliba and Jenny DeLoach, who are based in Nashville, agents Robbie Brown and Matt Meyer and coordinator Natalie Koe, who are based in Los Angeles, and agent Carlos Abreu, who is based in London.
Some of UTA’s existing music clients include Post Malone, deadmau5, Bad Bunny, YG, The Jonas Brothers, M.I.A., Bebe Rexha, Machine Gun Kelly, Florence and the Machine and many more.
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