Agent Name: Lucy Dickins
Previous Company: WME (2019–2026)
Role: Global Head of Contemporary Music & Touring
Department: Contemporary Music & Touring
Taking Over Role: Kirk Sommer (WME)
Territory: Global
- Lucy Dickins is leaving WME after seven years, confirmed via an internal memo from co-chairman Christian Muirhead on March 6, 2026.
- Kirk Sommer takes sole leadership of WME’s Contemporary Music division going forward. His roster includes The Killers, Benson Boone, Hozier, and Nine Inch Nails.
- Dickins made history in 2022 when she became the first woman to globally lead a contemporary music division at a major agency, overseeing offices across Beverly Hills, New York, Nashville, London, and Sydney.
Lucy Dickins, one of the most respected names in live music, is officially leaving WME after seven years. The news broke on March 6, 2026, via an internal memo from WME co-chairman Christian Muirhead, which was quickly obtained by multiple industry outlets.
Dickins joined WME in 2019 after spending over two decades at London-based International Talent Booking (ITB), the agency founded by her father Barry Dickins.
She ran WME’s UK office before being elevated to co-head of music during the pandemic, a period she helped the agency survive by launching its Virtual Appearances Group, pioneering ticketed online events while touring was on hold.
In 2022, she was promoted to Global Head of Contemporary Music and Touring, becoming the first woman to hold such a role at a major talent agency.
Her client list reads like a who’s who of global music: Adele, Mumford & Sons, Little Simz, Zach Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, Hot Chip, Jamie T, and Bryan Ferry, among many others.
Industry sources now tell multiple outlets she’s in advanced talks with rival agency CAA, a move that could shake up the touring world significantly. CAA restructured its own music division in 2024, appointing Emma Banks, Darryl Eaton, and Rick Roskin as Co-Heads of Global Touring.
Kirk Sommer, who recently relocated from LA to New York, will take sole control of WME’s Contemporary Music division. Further structural changes at the agency are expected to follow.
In related industry moves, David Bradley recently joined CAA and Adam Bauer of Madison House joined Dynamic Talent as a partner, reflecting a broader reshuffling of senior talent across the industry.
On the touring operations side, Pat Schmitt recently joined Tour Peachy, adding further momentum to a busy 2026 for live music professionals on the move.
Dickins comes from real music industry royalty. Her grandfather Percy Dickins helped co-found New Musical Express (NME). Her father Barry’s ITB represented Bob Dylan and Neil Young.
Her uncle Rob Dickins led Warner Music UK for 15 years. And her brother Jonathan Dickins manages Adele through September Management. Whatever comes next, the industry will be watching very closely.
Takeaways
This isn’t just an executive departure, it’s a potential seismic shift in the global touring landscape. Lucy Dickins didn’t simply hold a title; she was a relationship-driven powerhouse who helped shape WME’s entire post-pandemic live music strategy.
Losing someone of her caliber, possibly to a direct competitor like CAA, could accelerate an already fierce talent war between the major agencies.
The timing makes it even more striking. Live music is in a boom cycle right now, with touring revenues at record levels. Agents with Dickins’ depth of client relationships are arguably the most valuable assets in the business. CAA landing her would be like a football club signing a world-class player right at the peak of the transfer window.
If Dickins joins CAA, which high-profile clients, including Adele, might follow her, and what would that mean for WME’s position in the global touring market? What does the broader wave of agency executive departures say about the current state of the live music business?
