ICM Partners Acquires Primary Talent International

ICM Partners announced the acquisition of Primary Talent International. The deal gives London-based Primary Talent access to all the opportunities a major agency has to offer, and helps ICM Partners expand its international touring offer.

The UK music agency, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020, will continue to operate as Primary Talent International, with no management or agent changes anticipated. 

The existing Primary board, which includes directors Peter Elliot, Matt Bates, Ben Winchester, Andy Woolliscroft and Peter Maloney, will continue to run the agency, working closely ICM’s co-head of music Rob Prinz and the ICM Partners music division. 

Pollstar reached out to both companies for further details about the partnership, including financials and the exact nature of the acquisition.

A rep for ICM said, “technically this is an acquisition, but we are looking at it more as a partnership.  We want Primary to run exactly as it has, with the exact same management team in place.”

The deal aligns both agencies’ roster of clients. Primary Talent represents more than 900 artists in live music, including alt-J, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Daft Punk, Dave, Dropkick Murphys, Justice, Lana del Rey, Noel Gallagher, Patti Smith, Phoenix, Stormzy, The 1975, The Cure, The Pussycat Dolls and Two Door Cinema Club.

They join ICM’s client list, which includes famous names outside of music as well, including John Cena, Jeff Daniels, Ellen DeGeneres, Vince Gilligan, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Spike Lee, Shonda Rhimes, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Patrick Stewart, John Travolta and Christoph Waltz.  

ICM’s International musical touring roster features Pollstar Hotstar Ari Lennox, Blackbear, Boyz II Men, Charlie Wilson, City Girls, Earthgang, Good Charlotte, J. Cole, Jon Bellion, Khalid, Limp Bizkit, Migos, Sinead O’Connor, $uicideboy$, YBN Cordae, and more.

ICM Partners CEO Chris Silbermann commented: “We have great respect for Primary’s extraordinary artists, management team and agents and we enthusiastically welcome them all into our ICM Partners family.

“This deal greatly enhances our ability to serve our clients on a global scale, through added resources, support and even greater opportunities, which is our top priority.”

Silberman continued: “Primary is well known for being fiercely independent, which we love about them.  We are honored that they believed we were the right partners to help take their clients and their agency to the next levels of success, while retaining their brand and management identity and philosophy.”   

Prinz added: “After years of trying to find ways to work together, I’m very excited to now have that opportunity. We think this is a great fit for all parties and look forward to begin exploring ways to expand our business together on behalf of our clients.” 

Primary Talent’s Peter Elliot described his agency as “a creative and forward-looking company, with an unrivalled reputation for working closely with our artists to maximize their full potential. We’re very proud of what Primary has achieved over the years and excited by what the partnership with the dynamic and progressive team at ICM will enable us all to do moving forward. Exciting times.”  

 

Elliot’s co-director Matt Bates said Primary Talent and ICM Partners shared “a client first philosophy that passionately represents fresh new voices we enthusiastically develop all the way to arena and stadium acts. 

“We will continue to see Primary prosper and grow, with now additional opportunity to offer our clients the scope and resources of a major agency if they choose to take advantage of it.”