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The United Talent Agency (UTA) has recruited its first UK-based agent with Zoe Nelson taking on the role of foreign rights director.
Nelson is the first agent in the London office of UTA Publishing — UTA's publishing arm — and she will “draw on her extensive network of relationships with international publishers to expand the global reach of UTA’s clients, creating new opportunities and finding broader readerships in translation", the global talent, entertainment and sports agency said.
Before joining UTA, Nelson spent more than a decade working in foreign rights, devising international strategy for authors including Booker and Nobel prize-winners. She began her foreign rights career at RCW before leaving to head the rights team of Janklow & Nesbit Associates' UK branch in 2018. During her time at Janklow she launched and ran the company's first ever transatlantic rights department, overseeing translation sales across the client lists of both the UK and US branches of the organisation.
“We are thrilled to welcome Zoe to the team,” said Byrd Leavell, head of UTA Publishing. “We work with each of our clients through the entire publication process to ensure their book has every chance of success. The skill and experience she brings to the position now ensures that we will be able to reach readers all over the world.”
The expansion of UTA Publishing builds on UTA’s increased presence overseas, which in the last decade has included the acquisitions of UK-based The Agency Group and Echo Location Talent Agency. The agency's worldwide presence includes its Los Angeles headquarters and offices in New York, London, Nashville and Atlanta.
The announcement of its first UK agent comes hot on the heels of the Sebes & Bisseling Literary Agency opening a London branch in January 2022, marking its first UK presence.