“London is where creative momentum becomes global momentum”

Why London? It’s the question I’ve been asked most since moving my family 5,000 miles from Los Angeles to a city where the sun is mostly rumoured, never confirmed. The truth is simple: there is no market in the world more creatively alive, globally connected, and strategically important than London right now. And for an agency like UTA – one built on ambition, collaboration, and culture – this city represents boundless possibility.

London has always been a cultural capital. But today, it is also a gateway: to Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, to the world. Ideas, talent, and influence move through this city at a velocity that very few places can match. When UK Music reports that the British music industry now contributes a record £8bn to the UK economy, it’s validation of what anyone working here already feels every day: London is where creative momentum becomes global momentum. And that’s exactly why I came.

While UTA has operated in London for a decade, I genuinely believe we have only scratched the surface of what’s possible. This city, and the UK more broadly, punches far above its weight in global entertainment. It produces artists who define genres, shift culture, and headline stadiums across continents. It is home to some of the most influential executives, creators, producers, athletes, and storytellers on the planet.

To unlock that potential, UTA’s next chapter in London isn’t just about expansion, it’s about connection. Ten years in the UK has reinforced our desire to do things “the UTA way”: a team-based approach, building collaboratively and methodically with our clients and partners to grow careers across the myriad pathways that now exist.

The modern artist is not a single-discipline creature. Musicians are writing books. Actors are launching brands. Content creators are selling out tours. Footballers are building production companies. Culture is converging. The strongest agencies today aren’t the ones managing verticals; they’re the ones in the centre of that con-vergence, joining the dots.

Of course, IQ readers live and breathe the live business, and 2026 is shaping up to be a defining year. UTA represents some of the most exciting artists touring internationally in the year ahead, including global powerhouses like Bad Bunny, Rosalía, FKA twigs, Megan Moroney, and Sombr, among others. Their tours reflect that Europe is no longer just a key market for global talent but a launch-pad for worldwide cultural impact.

For artists with global ambition, Europe is increasingly the strategic centre and London the gravitational pull within it.

Ten years in the UK has reinforced our desire to do things “the UTA way”

One of the biggest questions facing the industry today is whether the age of the global superstar is fading. With audiences fragmented across platforms, algorithms, niches, and subcultures, the old pathways to global fame simply don’t function the same way. I don’t see this as a crisis. I see it as an opportunity. Artists today don’t need to chase ubiquity; they need to build communities. They need a clear, creative identity, not just a viral moment. And they need teams capable of nurturing careers that evolve across formats, mediums, and territories.

The role of the modern agent is transforming. At UTA, we differentiate ourselves by being more than just bookers and transactors. We serve as strategic partners who proactively guide our clients through the rapidly shifting cultural landscape, building enduring careers. Longevity isn’t built on one lane anymore. It’s built on collaboration between live, digital, publishing, film/TV, brand partnerships, sports, commerce, and emerging creator platforms.

That’s where the UK operation can shine. With strong teams across every division and a unified vision for how those divisions work together, we can offer artists the kind of interconnected strategy that the modern era demands.

I’ve always believed the role of an agency is simple: to help great artists do the most meaningful work of their lives. London is full of those artists. Full of those stories. Full of communities, cultures, and voices that shape the world’s imagination.

Being here – at the heart of all that energy – is not just exciting. It feels essential.

The task ahead is ambitious: to grow UTA’s presence; to build deeper bridges across Europe and beyond; to strengthen the live ecosystem; to connect disciplines and redefine what creative representation looks like; and to ensure artists feel supported, challenged, and inspired at every step of their journey.

If we get it right, UTA doesn’t just grow; London grows. The artists grow. And the industry grows.

And that’s why I’m here, rain and all.