UTA Names David Kramer And Jay Sures Co-Presidents

David Kramer and Jay Sures, both of whom started on the desk of agency co-founder Peter Benedeck, have been named co-presidents of United Talent Agency. Both have also been on the board of UTA for quite some time.

Kramer oversees UTA’s motion picture group, which includes its literary, talent, independent film finance, media rights, and production departments, and he also directs the agency’s comedy touring, licensing, endorsement and publishing arms. Sures oversees the agency’s television divisions, encompassing everything from UTA’s scripted and non-scripted groups, news and broadcasting, TV talent and its fast-growing speakers group.

Other agency board members include CEO Jeremy Zimmer, chairman and co-founder Jim Berkus, Benedek, Tracey Jacobs and Matt Rice as well as outside investor Jeffrey Ubben.

Along with Zimmer, the agency credits Kramer and Sures with helping to direct UTA’s growth and expansion over the past several years. “Jay and David embody the greatest parts of UTA, and I couldn’t ask for better, smarter or more creative partners,” said Zimmer who said both are great agents and colleagues who “helped build UTA into what it is today—a true, diversified media company with global reach. As UTA continues to grow and pursue new ventures, partnerships and acquisitions, these titles are a more appropriate reflection of their central roles and what’s next for UTA as an entertainment company.”

Over the past five years, the company has doubled in size to include 850-plus people globally. The agency noted the big acquisitions in the music, news and finance sectors that help spearhead its growth as well as bringing in a host of agents and exec on the creative and business sides.

Sures and Kramer became managing directors in 2010. Earlier this year, UTA took an equity stake in investment firm AGM Partners. It also led the charge in Hollywood by cancelling its annual Oscar party to instead hold a “United Voices” rally that attracted nearly 2,000 people to shine a light on diversity and inequity and help the ACLU and International Committee for Refugees.

“Jay and David are homegrown, tight-knit and excellent leaders,” Berkus said. “It has been one of the great joys of my career to watch David and Jay ascend through the UTA ranks.”