Jim Osborne Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Shortly after being named CEO of Independent Artist Group, the full-service agency resulting from the merger of APA and music touring agency Artist Group International, Jim Osborne has named Jarred Arfa, Executive Vice-President, Head of Global Music.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Jim Osborne is a product of the mailroom. The veteran talent agent, who has been named CEO of the newly christened Independent Artist Group, got his start in the representation field the old-fashioned way — by working his way of out of the ICM mailroom and assistant pool. Osborne has spent the past dozen years at APA, rising to partner in 2015 and to president in 2020. As of today, he advances to the top post, as APA combines into a new entity with Dennis Arfa’s music touring powerhouse Artist Group International. The deal brings such superstars into the fold as Billy Joel, Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, Linkin Park and the Strokes, and was orchestrated in part by investor Ron Burkle and his Yucaipa Co. (which owned Artist Intl. and invested in APA in 2020).

The consolidation in the talent representation space continues. Agency for the Performing Arts and music touring agency Artist Group International (AGI) are merging, with the combined full-service agency rebranded as Independent Artist Group (IAG). APA President Jim Osborne is being named CEO of IAG, with Dennis Arfa, founder and CEO of AGI, as Chairman of the Music Division of IAG. Former longtime APA CEO Jim Gosnell will serve on the board of AGI alongside Osborne and Arfa.

APA has taken a big step to fortify its future as a full-service talent agency by combining with touring powerhouse Artist Group Intl. to create the newly named Independent Artist Group, led by APA president Jim Osborne. Osborne will become CEO of Independent Artist Group (IAG), taking over day-to-day management of the firm. Jim Gosnell, APA’s longtime leader, segues into board member role with a mandate to evaluate growth and acquisition opportunities for the new venture. Dennis Arfa, co-founder of Artist Group Intl., will serve as chairman of IAG’s Music division. Artist Intl. Group president Marsha Vlasic becomes vice chairman of music.

Agency for the Performing Arts and Artist Group International, the premier independent music touring agency, have joined forces to create a more powerful full-service agency with one of the top music divisions in the industry. The two agencies have merged and will rebrand as Independent Artist Group, the companies said Wednesday.Jim Osborne, current president of APA is being named CEO of IAG, while Dennis Arfa, founder and CEO of AGI, is being named chairman of the music division of IAG, effective immediately.The board of IAG will consist of Osborne, Arfa and former longtime APA CEO Jim Gosnell, who will spearhead vertical growth opportunities for IAG while passing the baton of running the day-to-day operations of the agency to Osborne.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Brady Torgeson and Alex Chaykin have both been named partners at APA, Variety has learned exclusively. Torgeon first joined APA’s physical production department in 2013, while Chaykin has been with the agency’s music department since 2012. According to sources, both are known for their versatility in working across multiple departments. “We are proud to have one of the top Physical Production Department’s in the industry led by an accomplished group of dedicated agents and Brady has distinguished himself among the best in the industry,” said Jim Gosnell and Jim Osborne, respectively APA’s CEO and president. “He is the rare agent that represents artists and craftspeople across almost every aspect of production, making him an expert in the field and a tremendous asset to APA. We could not be prouder to welcome him as a partner of the agency.”

EXCLUSIVE: APA on Wednesday announced the promotion of Talent Department Coordinators Lindsey Wirkus and Joe Amato to Agents in the department.

EXCLUSIVE: John Cusack has signed with APA for representation after less than half a year with Gersh. 

EXCLUSIVE: APA continues to build its talent agent roster with the hire of Jovan Meredith, who moves to APA from Luber Roklin where he most recently served as a manager. He becomes the 16th new agent APA has brought in recently following the CAA/ICM merger.

Derek Kolstad, the writer and creator of the “John Wick” action franchise, Dmitri M. Johnson, a producer on “Sonic the Hedgehog,” and Mike Goldberg, a partner with agency APA, have together launched a new media company called Story Kitchen focused on franchise building.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Derek Kolstad and Dmitri M. Johnson are teaming to launch the media company Story Kitchen, with APA partner Mike Goldberg exiting the agency to join the duo as a co-founder of the new company. Goldberg previously represented Kolstad and Johnson’s dj2 Entertainment during his time at APA. Goldberg’s clients are expected to stay with the agency. In addition, Dan Jevons, Tim Stevenson and Howard Bliss of dj2 will be joining Story Kitchen in senior leadership roles. All current dj2 projects will continue to be handled by Johnson and dj2, with new projects being handled by Story Kitchen. According to Story Kitchen, the company will focus on “the creation -and amplification- of ‘World-Building Action’ and ‘Non-Traditional Intellectual Property’. If all the world’s a stage, Story Kitchen aims to be the Shakespearean leader in Gun-Fu, Popcorn-Fu and Controller-Fu.”

EXCLUSIVE: Jen Rudin has joined APA where she will launch and head up the agency’s Animation and Voice Over department. Rudin is the 12th former ICM agent/executive brought in by APA over the past year — more than all other agencies combined — as the agency has been aggressively pursing ICM staffers made available by the CAA acquisition. Most of the hires have been at a senior level, including several department heads. Backed by a major investment from Ron Burkle’s Yucaipa Companies two years ago, APA has been in an expansion mode, going on a hiring spree as it is looking to bulk up and move up the agency pecking order, which was disturbed by the CAA-ICM merger.

EXCLUSIVE: APA has hired veteran unscripted TV Agent Ryan Wackerman as SVP, Alternative & Factual Programming.

EXCLUSIVE: Chris Smith, a 21-year ICM veteran, including the last 10 as a partner, has joined APA as SVP, Global Concerts & Talent.

EXCLUSIVE: Mike Hayes, who was an agent with ICM Partners for nearly 17 years, has joined APA as Senior Vice-President, Global Music.

Andrew Rogers, a 12-year ICM veteran, has joined APA as a new Partner and Global Head Of Talent. Rogers, who also was a partner at ICM, was part of the final wave of agents who departed the company on the eve of its acquisition by CAA.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAPA has promoted senior vice president of talent Sheva Cohen, vice president of scripted literary Jack Leighton, and senior vice president of physical production Julian Savodivker to partner.“It is with great pride that we promote Sheva Cohen, Jack Leighton and Julian Savodivker to partner,” said APA CEO Jim Gosnell and APA president Jim Osborne in a joint statement.

APA has promoted a trio of its executives to partner. Newly promoted are SVP Talent Sheva Cohen, VP Scripted Literary Jack Leighton and SVP Physical Production Julian Savodivker.

Mike Fleming Jr Co-Editor-in-Chief, FilmEXCLUSIVE: Academy Award-winning actor, director, producer and screenwriter Mel Gibson has signed with APA.Gibson had been at CAA, but left after the exit of his primary agents Jack Whigham and Michael Cooper. They went to Range Media Partners.

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorRon Burkle’s Yucaipa Companies has made an investment in APA as the agency looks to rebound from the pandemic-induced slowdown in the entertainment industry.The agreement is not believed to be an equity investment but rather a cash influx structured as debt for the talent agency. Industry sources say APA veteran Jim Osborne, APA partner and head of talent, is poised to take on a larger role as president after helping to arrange the Yucaipa deal.