United Talent Agency announced on Thursday that it has named UTA veteran and agency partner Brent Weinstein to take over a new position as chief innovation officer.
Weinstein, a graduate of USC undergrad, will expand his role within the agency, partnering with UTA co-president Jay Sures to oversee the company’s news and broadcast business, as well as providing support on operational innovations and newly-acquired businesses and ventures under the direction of UTA COO Andrew Thau.
Along with his new position, Weinstein will continue to oversee UTA’s digital talent, emerging platforms, events and experiences and ventures divisions, while also managing UTA IQ with co-president David Kramer.
“Over the course of his career at UTA, Brent has embodied UTA’s culture of innovation and entrepreneurship,” said UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer in a statement. “He’s helped us identify and capitalize on new opportunities and established himself as a thought leader in the industry. For us, there is no greater opportunity or imperative than ensuring we champion ‘what’s next’ for our clients and our business, and no one is better suited than Brent to fill this new role.”
Weinstein was a corporate attorney before joining UTA in 2001. In 2015, he became a partner the agency.
A respected industry voice in the shifting entertainment and media landscape, Weinstein was instrumental in launching and scaling new businesses such as AwesomenessTV.
“I’ve always felt the defining features of UTA’s culture are its innovative spirit, the top-down mandate to remain curious, and the push not only to ponder the future of the media business but help build and define that future,” Weinstein said in a statement. “I’m incredibly excited and proud to have this opportunity to work with so many dedicated colleagues, and to help ensure that UTA and our clients are leading the charge to build the media businesses and models of the future.”
Weinstein’s clients include figures from traditional and new media, including Glenn Beck, Shane Dawson, Chris Hardwick, Hannah Hart, Rhett & Link and RocketJump Studios. He also advises Fortune 500 companies, including Delta Air Lines and Amazon, as well as the producers of the Consumer Electronics Show and VidCon, which was sold to Viacom in February.