NEW YORK: WME | IMG has announced the formation of a new holding company - Endeavor - which will take on the full portfolio of owned and operated brands formerly under the WME | IMG banner.
The new entity will be led by Ariel Emanuel as CEO and Patrick Whitesell as executive chairman, both of whom will continue to sit on the company’s board.
For the record, Emanuel and Whitesell have till now been operating as co-CEOs.
“WME | IMG represented a pivotal moment in our company’s history, but it does not accurately reflect the extent of our diversity or indicate where we’re headed,” remarked Emanuel. “In creating Endeavor, we now have a holding company that represents the very definition of the word itself, constantly striving to push boundaries on behalf of our clients and owned properties.”
Echoed Whitesell, “Our business at its core remains rooted in access, service and creativity. The one substantial difference is that unlike 20 years ago, we’re now sitting at the center of an incredible global network. We have the relationships and the platforms to help our clients and partners extend their reach and bring their creative initiatives to life.”
Beginning with Silver Lake’s initial investment in WME in 2012, Endeavor has attracted strategic partners including CPPIB, Fidelity, Focus Media, FountainVest, GIC, Mubadala, Sequoia Capital, SoftBank and Tencent, gaining recognition as one of Fortune’s 25 most important private companies.
The Endeavor family includes: WME, a leading global entertainment agency representing a powerful client roster across motion picture, television, sports, music, books, digital and theater; IMG, a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion; UFC, the world’s premier professional mixed martial arts (MMA) organization; Droga5, Cannes Lions Independent Agency of the Year; Professional Bull Riders; The Miss Universe Organization; and Frieze, a leading arts and media company.
Endeavor also encompasses a range of premium properties and agencies, including comedic management house Dixon Talent and artist management and consulting agency The Wall Group.
Additionally, the Endeavor family includes a number of strategic joint ventures, among them Euroleague Basketball and ELEAGUE, an eSports league created in conjunction with Turner, as well as a subsidiary in China focused on advancing the company’s growth in the country.
Efforts by SportzPower to ascertain whether the new branding would result in a change of name for the equal joint venture with Reliance Industries - IMG-Reliance - that is operating in India, proved unsuccessful at the time this report was uploaded.
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