UTA Taps Paul Wachter and Ceci Kurzman to Join Board of Directors

Wachter will serve as the board’s chairman

Paul Wachter Ceci Kurzman UTA

Main Street Advisors CEO Paul Wachter and Nexus Management Group founder Ceci Kurzman have joined UTA’s board of directors, the agency announced Thursday.

Wachter will serve as the board’s chairman.

“The addition of Paul and Ceci, with their web of expertise in entertainment and technology, finance and corporate governance, is another powerful signal about the trajectory of our company and the work we are doing on behalf of our clients,” Jeremy Zimmer, co-founder and CEO of UTA said in a statement. “When we brought in EQT last summer as UTA’s largest minority investor, we together recognized the value of adding experienced outside voices to the board to help us continue to pursue our goals. Both Paul and Ceci are passionate about artists and culture and recognize the importance of how UTA can continue to lead into the future. We could not be more fortunate to have them stepping into these roles.”

“I’ve watched Jeremy and UTA build one of the most dynamic businesses in entertainment, sports and media,” Wachter added. “These industries are going through a generational transformation, and UTA is uniquely positioned to be one of the companies at the center of it. I’m very honored to join as board chairman and thrilled to be a part of how UTA continues to innovate for their clients and investors.”

“Culture, entertainment and sports are universal throughout the world, creating new forms of disruption and opportunity every day. UTA touches every corner of these ecosystems and has the growing reach and capabilities to continue to drive success for the extraordinary artists, athletes and clients they represent,” Kurzman said. “I’m excited to work with the rest of the UTA board to continue to innovate and pursue their vision.”

Wachter is the founder and CEO of Main Street Advisors. With over $8 billion in assets under management, Main Street Advisors is one of the most prominent investors and business builders in sports, media, music and entertainment. Wachter has helped lead financial and business strategy for many of the most prominent individuals and transactions across these industries, including building LeBron James’ off-court business, Beats by Dre with Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, and the continued growth and expansion of Fenway Sports Group.

Wachter has previously served on the boards of Time Warner, Virgin America and Beats Electronics. In 2005, he was a key member of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s recall campaign and served as an outside advisor to Schwarzenegger throughout his governorship, including as a director on the UC Board of Regents from 2004 to 2016. Wachter is a graduate of Columbia Law School and Wharton and also served as chairman of the Holocaust Claims Committee for Austria.

Kurzman is the founder of Nexus Management, which began as an artist management company and evolved into a platform for private investments in the consumer, media and technology sectors. She has served on public, private and nonprofit boards since 2012, which currently include Warner Music Group, Man Group and Lanvin Group, among others.

Throughout her career, Kurzman has shepherded the careers of some of the world’s most successful music artists. Prior to founding Nexus in 2004, Kurzman held executive roles at Arista Records and Sony Music’s Epic Records. Passionate about mentoring young female executives and advocating for diversity in boardrooms and executive leadership, her nonprofit work has included serving on the board of Women’s Forum, New York’s premier organization of female business leaders. Kurzman is a graduate of Harvard University.

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