ICM Shuffle Creates New Executive Team

International Creative Management has formed a new executive team that brings President Jim Wiatt into a new position alongside his longtime boss, Jeffrey Berg, and makes a top TV agent the highest-ranking female manager in any of the major Hollywood talent agencies.

Wiatt, 52, who joined ICM two decades ago as a literary agent and rose through the ranks to the presidency in 1985, assumes the title of co-chairman and co-chief executive. He will share broader management responsibilities with Berg, 51, who remains chairman and CEO and is the principal owner of ICM. Wiatt also has a significant ownership stake in the agency along with legendary agent Sam Cohn, who heads ICM’s New York office.

As part of the realignment, veteran talent agent Ed Limato, 53, and TV agent Nancy Josephson, 41, have been named co-presidents. Josephson’s appointment makes her the first woman to reach the senior management level at any major agency, including ICM’s main rivals, Creative Artists Agency and the William Morris Agency.

Josephson’s father, Marvin, was the principal shareholder until 1988 when Berg, Wiatt and Cohn led a management buyout. Marvin Josephson is now a minority shareholder along with 36 other ICM agents.

The joint presidency of a senior TV agent and top movie agent signify ICM’s effort to create a more cohesive organization rather than different fiefdoms under the same roof.

Berg said he wants Wiatt to work closely with him on such major issues as strategies for further growth.

“This business has become bigger and more complex,” Berg said, referring both to ICM’s own global operation as well as the movie, TV, music, theater, new media and publishing markets.

Wiatt, an aide to U.S. Sen. John Tunney of California in 1970, began his Hollywood career at Frank Cooper Agency in 1976. He will continue as agent to such stars as Eddie Murphy, Tim Allen, Tommy Lee Jones and directors Nora Ephron and Penny Marshall.

Josephson, a Harvard Law School graduate and former New York lawyer who joined ICM in 1986, has helped build ICM’s TV business into a major cash cow with such packages as “Friends,” for which the agency collects substantial fees. Her clients include “Friends”’ executive producers Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, whose other shows include “Jesse” and “Veronica’s Closet.” Limato is considered a top agent in his field with his strong movie star client list, which includes Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Richard Gere, Winona Ryder, Denzel Washington and Liam Neeson. Limato, famous for his annual star-studded pre-Oscar night bas, started in 1967 at Ashley Famous Agency, which eventually became part of ICM. Limato worked at ICM until 1978, then was a senior executive at William Morris before rejoining ICM in 1988.