ICM cuts 9 agents in wake of merger
ICM cuts agents
July 31, 2006
ICM let go of at least nine agents, most from its television department, on the heels of the announcement of ICM's purchase of the Broder Webb Chervin Silbermann Agency.
Sources said Friday that the agents were informed of their termination Thursday evening and Friday morning, as staffers at both agencies came to grips with the news that surprised the town when it broke late Thursday afternoon. BWCS is known for the strength of its television activities, so the shakeout on the ICM side was to be expected as the two agencies meld operations.
In announcing the deal, ICM said that all 27 existing BWCS agents would make the move to ICM. The BWCS-related restructuring prompted the departure of agency stalwart and co-president Nancy Josephson (HR 7/28).
"This acquisition is about growth. We stated that there would be some internal changes, and this is an unfortunate side effect of any merger. We are excited about integrating BWCS into the agency and firmly believe the offer we provide our clients will be the best in the business," ICM said in a statement regarding the staff cuts.
Agents departing ICM last week included Scott Arnovitz, Patty Detroit, Nancy Etz, Jill Gillett, Tanya Lopez, Stacey Lubliner, Dan Norton, Babette Perry and Steve Simons. The status of the clients represented by those agents was unclear Friday.
Bob Levinson, who had served as ICM's worldwide head of television, is expected to remain with the agency. With the combination of the two agencies, BWCS partners Chris Silbermann and Ted Chervin will become ICM's co-heads of worldwide television; Silbermann also will serve as agency co-president.
Industry sources said Friday that Josephson had been in contact with at least two prominent rival agencies. Josephson's client roster includes such heavy hitters as "Friends" co-creators and executive producers Marta Kauffman, David Crane and Kevin Bright as well as former "Friends" scribes Greg Malins, Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen; "The Devil Wears Prada" director David Frankel; writer-producer John Ridley; and Star Jones Reynolds, former co-host of ABC's "The View."
Josephson could not be reached for comment Friday.
Sources said Friday that the agents were informed of their termination Thursday evening and Friday morning, as staffers at both agencies came to grips with the news that surprised the town when it broke late Thursday afternoon. BWCS is known for the strength of its television activities, so the shakeout on the ICM side was to be expected as the two agencies meld operations.
In announcing the deal, ICM said that all 27 existing BWCS agents would make the move to ICM. The BWCS-related restructuring prompted the departure of agency stalwart and co-president Nancy Josephson (HR 7/28).
"This acquisition is about growth. We stated that there would be some internal changes, and this is an unfortunate side effect of any merger. We are excited about integrating BWCS into the agency and firmly believe the offer we provide our clients will be the best in the business," ICM said in a statement regarding the staff cuts.
Agents departing ICM last week included Scott Arnovitz, Patty Detroit, Nancy Etz, Jill Gillett, Tanya Lopez, Stacey Lubliner, Dan Norton, Babette Perry and Steve Simons. The status of the clients represented by those agents was unclear Friday.
Bob Levinson, who had served as ICM's worldwide head of television, is expected to remain with the agency. With the combination of the two agencies, BWCS partners Chris Silbermann and Ted Chervin will become ICM's co-heads of worldwide television; Silbermann also will serve as agency co-president.
Industry sources said Friday that Josephson had been in contact with at least two prominent rival agencies. Josephson's client roster includes such heavy hitters as "Friends" co-creators and executive producers Marta Kauffman, David Crane and Kevin Bright as well as former "Friends" scribes Greg Malins, Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen; "The Devil Wears Prada" director David Frankel; writer-producer John Ridley; and Star Jones Reynolds, former co-host of ABC's "The View."
Josephson could not be reached for comment Friday.
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