UTA acquires UK agency The Curtis Brown Group

UTA has acquired the Curtis Brown Group, a UK literary and talented agency representing authors such as Margaret Atwood, Ian Fleming and others, as well as a roster of film and television clients.

The deal will be followed by a combination of 2020 Kurt Brown and former rival Markham Frogat and Irwin. Previously, the company grew with the acquisition of Tavistock Wood in 2018, Ed Victor in 2017 and C&W in 2013.

The companies worked together on projects involving Damian Lewis, Lily James, Alicia Vikander and Bell Paul, as well as rising star Nakut Gatwa, who was named by the BBC as the next Doctor. They also share the portrayal of screenwriters, including David Farr (Night Manager, Hannah), George PritchettSuccession, Veep and The Shrink next door) and Tony Roche (Legacy, it’s thick). Kurt Brown shares client representation with other agencies, including Robert Pattinson.

Under the terms of the agreement, London-based Kurt Brown, founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and management, including managing director Johnny Geller. The facility will allow both Curtis Brown Group and UTA to continue to maintain links with other partner agencies in the UK and US.

In announcing the deal, UTA said Kurt Brown is the first group of British literary talents and representatives to join the Global Talent Agency. The purpose of the transaction will be to connect the British company, which has over 240 employees, with UTA’s assets in areas such as brands, podcasts, digital talent, sponsorship, media rights and data analytics. The companies said they did not expect staff reductions as a result of the agreement. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Curtis Brown’s list of authors includes Atwood, Jojo Moyes, Lucy Foley, Lisa Joel, Matt Haig, Nigella Lawson, and Ben McIntyre. It also represents the literary legacies of Ian Fleming, John Le Carré, Daphne du Maurier, AA Milne and John Steinbeck.

Along with publishing, its client portfolio includes the departments of actors, presenters, comedians and other artists, theater, film and television.

For UTA, which was founded in 1991, this is a step in the last set of steps to step up. In 2019, the company acquired a significant stake in the Klutch Sports Group and acquired MediaLink two years later.

“This is a step towards the end of the global entertainment business and our combined determination to ensure that artists and creators remain at the center of future opportunities,” UTA co-chair David Kramer said in an official statement. “UTA and Curtis Brown Group have known and worked together for years and we couldn’t be more excited to take this step together at a time when the UK’s creative industries are thriving. For UTA, this was due to a deep respect for Kurt Brown’s leadership, deep roots, team and corporate culture.

Geller said that Kurt Brown “has long admired the leadership of UTA’s David Kramer and its CEO, Jeremy Zimmer. Kurt Brown’s deep knowledge of the European market, coupled with his culture of collaboration and innovation, offers our company and our customers a number of great opportunities. This partnership will enable Kurt Brown to grow and respond to the demands of a growing globalized world.

Jeremy Zimmer, co-founder and CEO of UTA, said that Kurt Brown “has been synonymous with great fiction and artistry for a long time. We are thrilled to be part of a great team. With the growth of the media world, UTA is looking for a great partnership for our growth. At Kurt Brown, we believe we have found such a partnership.