Lawton and Saunders join Soho Agency

Rowan Lawton and Alice Saunders have joined the recently formed Soho Agency.

Lawton will join the Soho Agency on 15th July seven years after founding Furniss Lawton, which was rolled into YMU, the newly-named James Grant Group, in March. Fellow co-founder Eugenie Furniss left Furniss Lawton the same month to join management and production company 42 as literary agent, while Lawton had continued as literary agent and director. 

Lawton started her agenting career at WME in 2004, before joining PFD and then co-founding Furniss Lawton. Some of her clients include Lindsey Kelk, Carmel Harrington, and and Poorna Bell among others. During her time at Furniss Lawton, Rowan has also represented major celebrity brands such as Fearne Cotton, the Hairy Bikers and the Richard & Judy Book Club.

Saunders joined Lucas Alexander Whitley in 2001 as assistant to Mark Lucas from Quadrille Publishing. She became an Agent in 2011 and was instrumental in establishing speaking as a key activity for the agency. Saunders will return from maternity leave in October 2019 to develop her list of literary and media clients and head up Soho Agency Speakers.

Saunders said: “I am thrilled to be joining the board of the Soho Agency and I am greatly looking forward to resuming my work and continuing to grow the business of the enhanced agency in these exciting times.”

Lawton said: “This is an excellent moment to be joining The Soho Agency. I admire the way they do business, the culture they have created and their exciting plans for the future. I am looking forward to expanding my fiction list and working with my colleagues to create new opportunities for our clients to be read, heard and seen all round the world."

The Soho Agency was launched in February 2019 by Julian Alexander, Sophie Laurimore, Mark Lucas, Philippa Milnes-Smith and Araminta Whitley, bringing together the literary and talent management of Lucas Alexander Whitley and Factual Management.