Icm Partners Acquires Stellar Group
US talent agency ICM Partners has acquired the London-based Stellar Group in a move which will create ICM Stellar Sports, a division of ICM Partners.
Stellar Group represents over 800 athletes, including Gareth Bale, and counts more than 130 employees with offices in 10 countries.
According to both parties, the move will provide Stellar Group’s clients with the US entertainment agency’s expertise to develop their off the field earning potential, while ICM’s clients will gain access to world class athletes.
Stellar Group Co-Founders Jonathan Barnett and David Manasseh (picrtured above) have also signed long-term contracts with ICM, and will both hold the title Executive Chairman, ICM Stellar Sports. Both will continue to run the day to day operations of the agency.
“With connectivity speeding the process, the sports, entertainment, music, media and publishing worlds have converged,” said Chris Silbermann, CEO, ICM Partners.
“Clients have greater opportunities than ever before to be multi-dimensional, multi-media brands. Aligning our wonderful and talented entertainment clients with Stellar’s premiere athletes is a powerful combination. Together we will be even better positioned to maximize this convergence and generate tremendous creative opportunities and financial upside for our global client base. In Jonathan Barnett, David Manasseh and the Stellar Group we have found the perfect partners and together we look forward to advancing our clients aspirations across the world.”
Jonathan Barnett, Chairman, Stellar Group, said: “In Chris Silbermann and ICM Partners we have found the ideal partner to help our clients further their earning potential in an ever flattening world where athletes are brands with global appeal across numerous off the field revenue streams, which ICM will help us cultivate and exploit. They share our enthusiasm to enrich our client’s opportunities as well as expand our North American representation business which is very exciting for us.”
According to the group, Joshua Barnett will become Managing Director, ICM Stellar Sports, with ICM Partners Managing Director Ted Chervin also named Chairman of the new entity. Meanwhile, Jonathan Perelman, who has previously overseen ICM’s Digital Department and Speakers Bureau, will become President of the venture.
All Stellar Group employees will join ICM Stellar Sports and continue to operate the agency as before.
