Agent James Carroll to join Diane Banks Associates

Former PFD broadcast and live events agent James Carroll is to join Diane Banks Associates as broadcast and brand licensing agent in December, taking over the agency’s activities in scripted and non-scripted film and television, live events and brand endorsements.

Carroll will represent the agency’s existing clients in these areas and, in conjunction with the agency’s book agents, will be actively seeking new clients in three key areas: thought leaders (across current affairs, history, science, arts, food and pop culture), commercial fiction, and children’s content.

Carroll, who has previously worked at the Clinton Foundation and The Rights House Talent, said: “I am delighted to join DBA after five years at PFD to continue taking clients’ ideas to the widest possible commercial audience. The team at DBA has a unique blend of expertise and big plans for 2018. Please send me your best stories!”

Diane Banks said: “James’s expertise and interests are an exact fit for DBA’s plans going forwards. His joining the agency represents a major step in increasing our offering for our existing clients and attracting new ones. We are very much looking forward to welcoming him to the team”.

Carroll’s responsibilities at PFD included ‘books to broadcast’, option agreements, presenter-led series, commercial campaigns, brand licensing and live events from political book tours to arena entertainment. His broadcast deals in 2016/2017 include 15 presenter-led series and programmes including four debut presenters. He leaves PFD with over 50 clients appearing on TV & Radio this year, and over 100 television projects in development with production companies and channels.

His clients at PFD included Twiggy, Ruby Wax, Alex Salmond, Paddy Ashdown, Bear Grylls Ventures, The Chicken Connoisseur (Elijah Quashie), The Reverend Richard Coles, ITV Studios Global Entertainment (for "Victoria" brand extension rights), Jane Beedle and Benjamina Ebuehi ("Bake Off"), William Sitwell ("MasterChef)", BBC Talent Hot List presenters Lloyd Coleman, Emily Rose Yates and Adebanji Alade, Marcel Somerville (ITV2’s "Love Island"), Jeanette Winterson, Bryony Gordon (the Telegraph), Daisy Goodwin, Shaun Usher (Letters of Note), Boaty McBoatface (brand licensing) and Hay Festival (for their deal with BBC Arts).

Carroll also built PFD’s brand endorsements and licensing business with PR agencies and brands including Barbour, Jaguar Land Rover, Samsung, Flora, Specsavers, Microsoft, Zalando, TSB Bank, ABInBev, Carphone Warehouse, Npower, Heinz, Panasonic, Sony, Lenovo, Green & Blacks, Ao.com, Asda and Sainsbury's. He starts at DBA on 7th December and can be reached on james@dianebanks.co.uk from that date.