- Global talent agency UTA has promoted veteran agent James Wright to Co-Head of its UK Music department.
- Wright will co-lead the London-based division alongside long-standing UK Co-Head Neil Warnock.
- Wright’s client list includes major global talent such as Lizzo, John Legend, and Jon Batiste.
- The promotion aligns with UTA’s ongoing expansion across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Global talent agency UTA has promoted London-based partner James Wright to Co-Head of UK Music. Wright will lead the department alongside long-standing UK Co-Head Neil Warnock. The move strengthens UTA’s strategic footprint across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Wright joined UTA in 2015 after it acquired The Agency Group. His diverse roster includes major stars like Lizzo, Take That, John Legend, David Byrne, and Jon Batiste.
Notably, Jon Batiste recently secured multiple Grammy nominations and is actively headlining international festivals. Meanwhile, Take That recently completed a massive, sold-out European stadium tour.
This internal promotion reflects a wider trend of talent agency leadership shakeups in 2026, similar to when Kevin Shivers was promoted to Co-President of Music by The TEAM. Conversely, some agents have opted to exit major agencies, as seen when Brandon Liebman joined Range Media Partners from UTA earlier this year.
Global Music Co-Heads Sam Kirby Yoh and David Zedeck emphasized that elevating Wright is key to their global touring ambitions. His promotion comes on the heels of being named a partner alongside fellow London music agent Jules de Lattre.
This leadership update aligns with UTA’s rapid expansion under London office head Darnell Strom, following the agency’s strategic acquisitions of literary powerhouse Curtis Brown and ROOF Football.
Takeaways
James Wright’s promotion is a clear signal that UTA is doubling down on London as its primary tactical base for European and global expansion.
By pairing a modern, genre-fluid partner like Wright with a legendary industry pioneer like Neil Warnock, UTA is bridging the gap between traditional touring expertise and contemporary, multi-hyphenate artist development. This internal promotion also serves as a talent-retention strategy during a highly competitive year of agency poaching and partner migrations.
Will the dual-leadership structure of Warnock and Wright accelerate UTA’s market-share acquisition of European festival bookings over rivals like CAA and WME? How will Wright’s background in 360-degree artist contracts influence how UTA structures future deals for emerging UK talent?
