UTA has named Bob Roback, a veteran music and tech exec and entrepreneur, its new chief operating officer. Reporting to standing United Talent Agency CEO Jeremy Zimmer and President David Kramer, Roback will also be a partner and join UTA’s board of directors in accordance with his role as chief operating officer.
As COO, Roback will oversee overall business operations as well as areas like growth, strategy, and technology. This role is especially fitting for Roback as a creatively-minded businessman and one who has been critical to UTA’s success for a long time.
UTA’s History in Music
United Talent Agency is known within the industry for specializing in representing “storytellers who shape culture and drive the future.” Whether they be musical artists, creators, athletes, actors, or even brands, UTA is a unified front representing multiple different forms of talent. Their profound expertise and uniquely suited capabilities have made them a go-to for hot talent and companies over the past few decades.
In 1991, UTA was founded as United Talent Agency by Jeremy Zimmer, Peter Benedek, and Jim Berkus. This was achieved via a merger of the Bauer-Benedek Agency and Leading Artists Agency. The merger brought together the agencies’ respective expertise in film and television and led to the original creation of the United Talent Agency.
In 2013, the agency expanded to a new campus in Beverly Hills to accommodate its growing stature and roster talent in numerous fields. This became the first integral step in a decade of calculated expansion and growth. In 2015, to further this growth, UTA acquired The Agency Group, the world’s largest music agency. This established UTA as a global leader in music representation, and it has remained so ever since.
Roback’s Successful Tenures
Roback’s career spans content, digital consumer services, consumer products, and B-to-B platforms and marketplaces. Most recently, he spent seven years as CEO of Ingrooves Music Group, a music and marketing business that is now part of Universal Music Group. Prior to that, Roback served as president and a member of the board of directors of Fender Musical Instruments Corp. He also co-founded several companies, including Dashbox, The Media Farm, and Launch Media, which became Yahoo Music.
“I’m delighted to welcome Bob Roback to UTA,” Zimmer said in the official announcement.
“Throughout his accomplished career, Bob has built and led multiple businesses at the intersection of entertainment and technology, and he will be a valued partner at UTA as we help our clients thrive in an increasingly global and complex marketplace.” The chief exec added his acknowledgment of “the many contributions of Andrew Thau, who served as our COO since 2007 and became co-head of UTA Sports last year. I’m excited for what Andrew will accomplish as he focuses full-time on building out our sports presence in the global arena.”
Roback’s “experience and approach make him an ideal fit in UTA’s entrepreneurial and future-focused culture,” Kramer said. “Artists, athletes, and brands are looking to participate globally across every part of the entertainment landscape, and Bob will help ensure we continue to operate at a level that exemplifies best-in-class representation.”
A Fortified Union
UTA has continued to diversify its operations through internal investments, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships. On Monday, Thau and Rich Paul, founder of the UTA-backed Klutch Sports Group and Co-Head of UTA Sports, announced the acquisition of soccer-focused agency ROOF, which reps top players in Europe and elsewhere.
“I’ve long admired UTA’s dedication to its clients and ability to lead the way in defining what it means to be a global agency during a time of tremendous change and opportunity,” said Roback. “I’m thrilled to be joining the company at this exciting time and look forward to shaping the future with UTA’s talented and ambitious team.”
