Afro Nation co-founder Obi Asika is stepping back from his role at UTA to focus on his passion for Africa through his entertainment business, The Malachite Group, IQ can reveal.

Asika, who joined UTA after the company acquired his Echo Location Talent Agency back in 2021 and was promoted to partner last year, will remain part of UTA client teams for a handful of key artists.

“I have enjoyed every minute of my time as co-head London music at UTA over the last four years and have decided the time is now right for me to step away from that role, to devote more time to my global business, The Malachite Group – alongside our partners Helios Sports and Entertainment Group – on our mission to champion Africa and global diasporas,” says Asika.

Since launching in 2019, Afro Nation has become the world’s biggest Afrobeats festival, spawning editions in Accra (Ghana), Miami (US), Detroit (US), Portimão (Portugal) and Balneario De Carolina (Puerto Rico).

“I am inspired by the challenge of creating meaningful opportunities and building on the global success of events such as Afro Nation and Piano People,” adds Asika, “expanding an existing sports portfolio which includes the NBA Africa, Basketball Africa League and the Professional Fighters League, working alongside QA Venue Solutions and creating transformative opportunities at grassroots level and upwards that will open doors for young people and help unlock the continent’s vast potential.”

“We wish Obi every success as he focuses on his lifelong passion and advocacy for the music and culture of Africa”

UTA’s co-head of global music Sam Kirby Yoh will continue to lead the UK music team alongside Neil Warnock.

“We wish Obi every success as he focuses on his lifelong passion and advocacy for the music and culture of Africa,” says Kirby Yoh. “We continue to experience a period of rapid growth for UTA London as we’ve expanded our team of world class agents, supporting some of the most impactful artists of our times.”

UTA has emerged as an international leader in Afrobeats, heading the charge in its global explosion with artists such as Burna Boy, Tyla, Wizkid, Ayra Starr represented by its agents led out of London.

The agency’s roster also includes the likes of Karol G, Bad Bunny, Take That, Bring Me The Horizon, Chase & Status, Sleep Token, Jacob Collier, Zayn, Christine and the Queens, Dolly Parton, Rosalía, Underworld, Trivium, Kenya Grace, Sammy Virji and Nia Archives.

Additionally, UTA expanded its sports portfolio with the acquisition of Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers (ROOF) in 2024, and acquired the UK’s Curtis Brown Group in 2022.

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United Talent Agency (UTA) has promoted five music agents to partner, including UK office co-head Obi Asika.

The company acquired Asika’s Echo Location Talent Agency back in 2021, in a deal that saw him assume the role of co-head of UTA’s London office alongside Neil Warnock. Asika is also co-founder of festival brand Afro Nation.

UTA has also named US-based music agents Kevin Gimble, Steve Gordon, Jeffrey Hasson and Matt Meyer among 24 new partners, spanning talent, publishing, comedy touring, executive search, endorsements & voiceover, MediaLink and KLUTCH Sports Group.

“Each of these new partners embodies UTA’s commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration”

“Each of these new partners embodies UTA’s commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration, which translates into impeccable service for our clients,” says UTA president David Kramer. “We are thrilled to welcome them to the UTA partnership. I’m especially encouraged to see the wide variety of newer departments and businesses this group of partners hails from, reflecting the success of our expansion and diversification strategy over the past several years.”

Other new partners include Dan Constable (endorsements & voiceover), Devrie DeMarco (MediaLink), Doug Edley (comedy touring), Roysi Erbes (UTA executive search), Heidi Feigin (comedy touring), Andrew Feinberg (KLUTCH Sports Group), Christy Fletcher (publishing), Michele James (UTA executive search), Damon Lau (UTA Creators) and Byrd Leavell (publishing).

The list is completed by Albert Lee (publishing), Nicole Lynn (KLUTCH Sports Group), Nigel Meiojas (talent), Brian Nossokoff (talent), Jennifer Palacios (entertainment & culture marketing), Andrea Kerr Redniss, Donna Sharp, Christopher Vollmer and Mark Wagman (all MediaLink).

UTA has promoted almost 130 people over the past year. As part of the firm’s multi-year expansion strategy, recent acquisitions have included sports agency Rep 1 Baseball and One Legacy Sports Management by KLUTCH, Gen Z-focused JUV Consulting, literary agency Fletcher & Co. and executive search firm James & Co. The company has also opened new offices in Atlanta and expanded its presence in London.

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Afro Nation co-founder Obi Asika discussed his ambitions for the pioneering festival during Easol’s new masterclass series.

Since launching in 2019, Afro Nation has become the world’s biggest Afrobeats festival, spawning editions in Accra (Ghana), Miami (US), Detroit (US), Portimão (Portugal) and Balneario De Carolina (Puerto Rico). A Mexican edition had also been planned for September 2020, before the pandemic intervened.

Later this year, the festival will debut in Lagos, Nigeria – a country with “huge potential” according to Asika.

“Lagos is a huge one for us,” he said, during last week’s Creators in Session. “It’s been in the making – mentally, for me – for years. I feel like it opens up the whole continent and the whole country.

“There’s so much potential there – restaurants and clubs are packed – but large-scale events have been where things fall down. I’d love to prove the point that something large-scale can be done safely and in a quality way in Lagos because I think that would open up a lot of opportunities for everybody.”

“Lagos is a huge one for [Afro Nation]… it opens up the whole continent and the whole country”

Launching in Nigeria was also a personal goal for the British-Nigerian executive, who said that big agencies lacked knowledge about the market.

“In big agencies, I’d always hear conversations about promoters and they’d treat Nigeria a lot like Dubai or Saudi Arabia now where people ask for like three times the amount of money,” he said. “It really used to affect me, what I used to hear about it because obviously the promoters are not used to dealing with us. A lot of people made mistakes or didn’t understand how certain things work or certain deals work. I want to get respect for the continent.”

Outside of Africa, Asika said his sights are set on Brazil for further expansion of the Afro Nation brand. “We went to see [a location] and we love the idea. Once we’ve done Brazil, the loop will be closed. That, to me, will be an incredibly special show.”

In just four years, Afro Nation has achieved aggressive expansion but Asika, who is also the co-founder of Event Horizon and co-head of UTA’s UK office, said it wasn’t originally his intention.

“It wasn’t about doing a festival,” he explained. “It was about proving a point to the artist. As an agent, you’re trying to prove tickets. You take acts to certain levels to prove their worth and in the end, the big money made is at the festivals.

“I used to do Afro Nation for the artists, I don’t anymore…”

“We did some shows with Wizkid [who is represented by UTA] and we’d go back and say ‘He’s worth this now’ and I’d get knocked back. We got to the O2 arena [in London] with a show and that was basically Wiz’s headline show but we put a lineup underneath to make it a bigger ticket, like a festival, for the fans. Wiz came up with the name Afro Republic and I trademarked the whole thing. The partners were me, him and his manager.

“It was such a huge amount of work for me as an individual. You’re dealing with acts from different countries, who have not worked at these sorts of venues, and need visas etc. And then after the show, Wiz and his manager fell out and decided the brand was dead. I was so pissed off.”

Asika decided to call up SMADE, who promoted Afro Republic alongside Live Nation, and enlist him to help keep the idea alive. They would call the new incarnation Afro Nation.

“Then I called up Denis Desmond [head of Live Nation UK and Ireland] and told him about it. I asked if he wanted to be involved and he said ‘Yes, I’m going to buy it now’ and he did.”

The first edition of Afro Nation took place in Portimão’s Praia da Rocha beach in 2019, followed swiftly by an instalment in Ghana later that year.

“I’d rather not do [Afro Nation] than do it on the cheap”

“I don’t know how we got through [the Ghana edition] at times,” he said. “But it happened through the grit and determination of this team. I wanted to show the potential of the continent. That is a gift and a curse because it gets us into mad situations sometimes.

“Then we did Puerto Rico [in 2022] which was another challenging situation but it was a much easier location to do than Ghana. Pre-Covid, Puerto Rico was not a place that Americans visited much. But in Covid, a lot of Americans went because it was easier to get to. At the time we picked it, it was a perfect location because they needed events like ours – they don’t anymore.”

The Puerto Rico event didn’t return in 2023 but the Afro Nation team have kept busy with 2023 editions in Portugal and the US, alongside preparations for the Lagos debut. And while the brand has stayed the same, continuing to showcase Afrobeats hip-hop, R&B, amapiano, dancehall and reggae, Asika says the intention behind it has changed.

“I used to do Afro Nation for the artists, I don’t anymore… I do it for the customers,” he said. “For me, as a proud English person and a proud African who was often a minority, seeing the people who come to our show and what it means to them to be represented is why I’m so set on the quality of the brand. I’d rather not do it than do it on the cheap. I’d rather not do it for money.”

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Afro Nation held its biggest-ever festival in Portugal last week, attended by tens of thousands.

Since launching on Portimão’s Praia da Rocha beach in 2019, the afrobeats festival has more than doubled in size.

The inaugural year drew 20,000, the second edition (held after the pandemic in 2022) hosted 35,000 and this year’s third edition recorded 40,000 people from 140 different countries, with 90% of festivalgoers coming from abroad.

The 2023 instalment featured performances from 50 artists including Burna Boy, Little Simz, Wizkid, 50 Cent, Booba and Davido.

Obi Asika, co-founder of the brand, previously told IQ that 50% of tickets for Afro Nation Portugal 2023 were sold before the bill was announced.

He also said that this year’s edition would build on the festival’s VIP experience, “elevating the beach club events and really optimising the stunning site that we build this festival on.

The 2023 instalment featured performances from 50 artists including Burna Boy, Little Simz, Wizkid, 50 Cent, Booba and Davido

“Evolving our infrastructure in an aesthetically pleasing way that is harmonious to our beach setting is incredibly important to us. In the same way, we always look to support the local industry and economies by working collaboratively and constructively with everyone around us,” he added.

Launched in 2019, Afro Nation festivals have taken place in Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. The brand, which also showcases hip-hop, R&B, amapiano, dancehall and reggae, debuted in North America last year with Afro Nation Puerto Rico.

The festival brand expanded in the US in May with an event at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, presented by Event Horizon, SMADE and Live Nation. Debut editions for Detroit, US, and Lagos, Nigeria, are planned for later this year.

“A lot goes into selecting locations for an Afro Nation festival, the beauty of the site, event infrastructure, travel logistics and accommodation for guests,” co-founder Obi Asika told IQ. “But most importantly, everywhere you’ll find an Afro Nation event will be bringing joy to sites of cultural significance around the world.”

Given the “resounding success” of Afro Nation Portugal 2023, next year’s event in Portimão is already on sale, with tickets ranging between €199 and €599.

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Afrobeats festival Afro Nation has announced it is debuting in Lagos, Nigeria, later this year.

The festival returned to Ghana last year for the first time since 2019 and has confirmed an additional African edition will take place in Nigeria in 2023, with the date and venue still to be revealed.

The news was announced today via the festival’s official social media channels, with the message, “We’re coming to Nigeria.”

“Nigeria is the home to so many international superstars who have made Afrobeats a globally loved genre,” says co-founder SMADE. “As someone who grew up in Lagos, and then spent years promoting African music in London and beyond, this will truly be a full circle moment, bringing the Afro Nation show back home to Lagos. We can’t wait for the biggest celebration of African music the world has ever seen!”

“Everywhere you’ll find an Afro Nation event will be bringing joy to sites of cultural significance around the world”

Launched in 2019, Afro Nation festivals have taken place in Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. The brand, which also showcases hip-hop, R&B, amapiano, dancehall and reggae, debuted in North America last year with Afro Nation Puerto Rico. A Mexican edition had also been planned for September 2020, before the pandemic intervened.

Afro Nation expanded to the US last month with an event at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, presented by Event Horizon, SMADE and Live Nation. Its 2023 Portugal event is scheduled for Portimão from 28-30 June, headlined by Burna Boy, 50 Cent and Booba, before launching in Detroit from 19-20 August.

“A lot goes into selecting locations for an Afro Nation festival, the beauty of the site, event infrastructure, travel logistics and accommodation for guests,” co-founder Obi Asika told IQ earlier this year. “But most importantly, everywhere you’ll find an Afro Nation event will be bringing joy to sites of cultural significance around the world.”

The brand also launched a training programme for local crew ahead of its return to Ghana last year.

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ILMC 35 kicked off with the traditional Open Forum session with this year’s host, Maria May from CAA, addressing a swathe of issues, while looking back on a monumental year for live music around the world.

May noted various statistics about the growth of the business in 2022, including the fact that ticket prices for Pollstar’s top 100 tours had increased by more than 10%, before posing a question to her guests about whether those biggest-selling productions should be doing anything to support the grassroots side of the business.

Obi Asika from United Talent Agency noted that the year ahead was looking like it would be the strongest he has ever had, reporting that his dance music and afrobeat acts were doing great business. And answering a question about the stadium business harming grassroots, he stated, “I’m more worried about the stadium effect on festivals. But I don’t see it as an issue; it’s just different.”

“We have to be brave and inclusive if we want to have new headliners”

When it comes to helping grassroots acts, he added, “We have to be brave and inclusive if we want to have new headliners.”

Q Prime Management’s Tara Richardson contested: “There’s a whole generation of ticket buyers who have skipped [going to] sweaty clubs because they have been stuck indoors during the pandemic.”

But she agreed that perhaps stadiums could support grassroots venues through sponsorship or some other system. “The record labels and publishers develop talent, but the live side seems to be the only part that does not throw money back toward grassroots,” she observed.

Addressing the issue of spiralling costs, Herman Schueremans of Live Nation Belgium admitted that most people in the business had not expected such big rises. “The bottom line is that it’s a thing of give and take – listen to each other and be nicer to each other,” Schueremans pleaded. Looking back at 2022, he reported, “By respecting people and paying part [of the money] in advance and the balance the day after show, it worked really well.

“You cannot avoid rising costs – you have to live with it and deal with it. It might mean we have to work harder but earn less. Making a profit is important, but it’s not the most important.”

“The live side seems to be the only part that does not throw money back toward grassroots”

On a related note, talking about all the various challenges that the live sector is facing, Asika pointed to the example of some of his African artists who have had all kinds of obstacles to overcome to establish careers outside of their own countries. “However complex it is, we can figure it out,” he said. “There are enough ideas and enough good people to figure it out – it’s part of the fun.”

Tackling the controversial topic of dynamic pricing, John Meglen from Concerts West noted, “Most shows do not sell out, but at the very high end it’s a very simple supply and demand issue [and] dynamic pricing is a business decision. If you sell a ticket for $100 but then watch it be resold for $500, the artist should be receiving that money, not the tout.”

Meglen suggested that blaming the ticketing system for any issues was a cop-out. “It’s up to us to set those business rules – we cannot be blaming the ticketing systems, he said. “We have an issue of pricing, and we have a resale issue. We need to make sure that the money [remains] in our business. If we’re getting market value for our tickets, the artists are going to earn more and it’s not someone outside business making the money.”

Q Prime’s Richardson drew comparisons with the price of theatre tickets when it comes to tour pricing, but also had a pragmatic idea on how the teams involved in tour planning could better handle the subject. “Maybe there needs to be a middle ground where we involve tour accountants before we route – and we have a plan A, plan B, and plan C for the tour and the production, depending on the ticket price.”

“We have an issue of pricing, and we have a resale issue”

The session also looked at how the live music industry can attract a more diverse workforce, with the speakers agreeing that more needs to be done – from the top of the business downwards – to make true and meaningful progress.

Engaging in a debate regarding the environmental impact of the live music sector, Schueremans revealed, “At Rock Werchter 2022 we recycled or recouped 95% of our plastic. It was a hell of a challenge, but we did it and we should not just be doing it as festivals, we need to do it at all shows.”

However, Richardson concluded that rather than beat up the festivals and tours, “We’d be better off having a huge industry lobby to do something about the six big companies who are contributing most to carbon emissions.”

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Afro Nation co-founder Obi Asika has told IQ that further international growth could be on the cards for the world’s biggest Afrobeats festival.

Burna Boy and Wizkid will headline the brand’s debut Miami, Florida edition, presented by Event Horizon, SMADE and Live Nation at LoanDepot Park from 27-28 May, while previous Afro Nation festivals have taken place in Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean since the brand launched in 2019.

“We launched Afro Nation Miami recently and would love to do more shows in the US,” Asika tells IQ. “Brazil would be an incredible place to host an Afro Nation show and it is very much on our roadmap for the future, and of course more shows on the African continent.

“A lot goes into selecting locations for an Afro Nation festival, the beauty of the site, event infrastructure, travel logistics and accommodation for guests, but most importantly, everywhere you’ll find an Afro Nation event will be bringing joy to sites of cultural significance around the world.”

“Afrobeats is still a relatively new genre in terms of worldwide popularity and we are on a mission to help elevate the next generation of global superstars”

Event Horizon co-founder Asika has been co-head of UTA’s UK office since the company acquired his Echo Location Talent Agency in 2021, and will appear on The Open Forum: The industry health check panel at this year’s ILMC.

The leading agent stresses the importance of Afro Nation providing a platform for the next generation of talent, as well as showcasing globally renowned acts.

“Afrobeats is still a relatively new genre in terms of worldwide popularity and we are on a mission to help elevate the next generation of global superstars, so it was incredible to see such an enormous outpouring of love for artists such as Rema, CKay, Major League DJz and Uncle Waffles, as much as it was humbling to see how far artists like Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy have come,” says Asika.

“We’re sure to witness some big moments with artists on an impressive trajectory like Fireboy DML and Asake this summer, and also like bringing massive non-English language acts like Dadju to even wider audiences.”

Last year, the festival marked its North American debut with Afro Nation Puerto Rico, as well as its return to Portugal for the second time and Ghana, for the first time since 2019. A Mexican edition had also been planned for September 2020, before the pandemic intervened.

“In 2023, we will be building on our VIP experience, elevating the beach club events and really optimising the stunning site that we build this festival on”

The 2023 Portugal event is scheduled for Portimão from 28-30 June, headlined by Burna Boy, 50 Cent and Booba.

“We’ve just announced the first phase line-up for Afro Nation Portugal 2023 and are really excited about the opportunity with the show this year,” says Asika. “We always strive to represent as many genres and artists from as many countries as possible, led by Africa, and we have a great platform to build on after an incredibly successful event in Portugal last year.

“2022 saw a great deal of change, with a huge, brand new main stage, raised production levels and a completely unique backstage artist village concept that we commissioned. In 2023, we will be building on our VIP experience, elevating the beach club events and really optimising the stunning site that we build this festival on.

“Evolving our infrastructure in an aesthetically pleasing way that is harmonious to our beach setting is incredibly important to us, in the same way we always look to support the local industry and economies by working collaboratively and constructively with everyone around us.”

Asika says ticket sales for Afro Nation Portugal’s 2022 edition “surpassed all our objectives” despite logistical issues related to the pandemic.

“The Portugal show doubled in size and we sold 50% of our tickets for 2023 before we even announced our line up, so we have built an incredibly loyal fanbase for the brand,” he says. “There were difficulties in getting access to certain equipment as our industry still felt the after effects of the pandemic and one thing we have done as a business to combat that is to invest more in owning our own inventory. For example we have invested into owning our own main stage, security barriers and steel shields to use at our festivals in Portugal and West Africa, and also to allow touring artists and other promotions – such as Global Citizens and Black Star Line Festival in 2022 – to access it.”

“We are generally hearing good things about ticket sales and if you have a strong brand with a clear identity then people will keep buying tickets”

He continues: “One issue we have faced with building events in multiple territories such as Ghana, Puerto Rico, Miami and Portugal is around artist travel and visa difficulties, but this is part of our commitment to having as much global representation on stage as we possibly can.

“Ticketing can also be an issue, a process we want to make as easy and accessible as possible, so we have partnered with Easol to sell our tickets and introduced them to African payment gateways so they can take payment from customers using African cards. We pride ourselves on partnering with innovative technologies and removing obstacles in the industry.”

While Asika acknowledges there is some concern in the live events industry over the potential effect on ticket sales from the cost of living crisis, he is feeling positive about the season ahead.

“We are generally hearing good things about ticket sales and if you have a strong brand with a clear identity then people will keep buying tickets,” he adds. “Due to the backlog from Covid there were too many shows last year. Now things are back to normal and we broadly have a positive outlook on the events industry. The travel industry also seems to be recovering well and, as a promoter who offers international event experiencers, that’s very promising to see.”

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More major industry executives have been confirmed for ILMC 35: Spa & Last Resort, as the countdown to the conference begins.

Joining CAA’s Maria May on The Open Forum: The industry health check are Obi Asika from United Talent Agency and Herman Schueremans from Live Nation Belgium/Rock Werchter.

Elsewhere, Wasserman Music’s head of global music Marty Diamond and Jenny Hutchinson from Bristol Ashton Gate Stadium take part in The View From The Top: Stadiums & large-scale shows.

Meanwhile, Jane Beese from Manchester International Factory will chair The State of Independents: Opportunity knocks.

Emma Bownes of The O2 and John Drury from OVO Arena Wembley take the helm for The Venue’s Venue: The cost of live-ing, while eps chief Okan Tombulca chairs IPM: The great production debate.

The final round of the Alia Dann Swift Bursary Scheme opens today

ILMC’s resident tech guru Steve Machin from Vatom will head up New Technology: The fitness test, and Festival Forum: Mud baths & outdoor pursuits will welcome Yourope’s Holger Jan Schmidt as its chair.

Also, the final round of the Alia Dann Swift Bursary Scheme opens today (6 January). The scheme offers a complimentary pass and mentoring opportunities to 30 professionals this year, courtesy of ASM Global.

The closing date for the final round is Tuesday 14 February. To find out more and apply, click here.

ILMC Spa & Last Resort will welcome over 1,200 of the world’s top live music professionals from over 40 countries to the recently upgraded Royal Lancaster Hotel in London from 28 Feb–3 March 2023.

Full information about the conference is at 35.ilmc.com.

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The latest round of guest speakers and conference topics have been unveiled for the International Festival Forum (IFF) 2022, ILMC’s invitation-only event for music festivals and booking agents.

United Talent Agency’s UK office co-head Obi Asika is the first industry leader confirmed to join host James Drury (ILMC) for The Festival Season 2022, to discuss the key challenges organisers have faced as we look forward to a smoother 2023.

Wasserman Music’s Adele Slater (UK) and Chris Payne (WME, UK) will appear alongside IQ Magazine‘s Gordon Masson and Smash!Bang!Pow! CEO Nikolaj Thorenfeldt (DK) on Festivals & Agents: Happier than ever? to examine the main ingredients powering our multi-billion dollar business.

And Barbara Hexges (Superbloom!, DE) will speak at The New Kids on the Block, a quickfire presentation session of every key new festival and agency that’s emerged in the last 18 months, alongside Stephan Thanscheidt (Tempelhof Sounds, DE) and Jess Kinn & Sean Goulding from One Fiinix Live (UK).

The first 400 delegates from 26 countries are now signed up for IFF 2022

IFF 2022 will offer the usual plethora of networking, showcases, panels, and parties – all taking place between 27-29 September in London. Check out the first speaker announcement here.

The first 400 delegates from 26 countries are now signed up, with demand for IFF 2022 passes proving higher than ever.

IFF’s new delegate hub, the Holiday Inn in Camden, will be transformed into IFF Central for three days and host conference sessions, private parties and meetings, and speed dating for attendees.

Wasserman Music, WME, CAA, UTA, Primary Talent, ATC Live, X-Ray Touring, Solo Agency, Pure, One Finiix Live and Earth Agency are among the first to back the 2022 edition as agency partners, many of whom will present showcases featuring the hottest new talent.

Full information about this year’s event, including how to apply for a pass, is online at www.iff.rocks.

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Senior music agent Rebecca Prochnik has joined UTA as director of creative strategy, UK music.

At Earth Agency, which she co-founded in 2014, Prochnik represented a roster of independent artists including Skepta, AJ Tracey, JME, Deerhunter, Vanishing Twin, Kode 9 and Black Lips.

“The times we’re living through have expanded all manner of approaches and perspectives across the board,” says London-based Prochnik.

“I’m delighted by this unique opportunity to combine energies with the incredible, in-depth universe of UTA to lift the roof and broaden the pathways in what is an immensely transformative time for artists and agents alike.”

“Rebecca has an unparalleled reputation for helping independent talent break into the mainstream music landscape”

“Rebecca has an unparalleled reputation for helping independent talent break into the mainstream music landscape, and she has demonstrated exceptional creativity and entrepreneurship throughout her career,” says Obi Asika, co-head of UTA’s UK office.

“She has achieved great success in her leadership of Earth Agency, and we are thrilled to welcome her to UTA.”

Earlier this year, UTA acquired Echo Location Talent Agency, which was founded and led by Asika. The deal brought artists including Diplo, Major Lazer, Marshmello, Alesso, Wizkid into the UTA fold for international representation.

Asika now leads UTA’s UK office alongside Neil Warnock.

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