Verve Hires Manal Hammad As TV Lit Agent

EXCLUSIVE: Manal Hammad has joined Verve as a TV literary agent, the first announced agent hire at the company since it signed the WGA’s Code of Conduct last month, making it the biggest lit agency to sign the code since it was implemented in April.

Hammad comes from Abrams Artists Agency, a member of the Association of Talent Agents whose chairman had said publicly that it would not sign the code, which bans signees from TV packaging and ties to affiliated production entities, among other things.

Hammad began her career at boutique agency Preferred Artists, following the leadership when they joined Abrams to start the agency’s literary department in 2015. That same year, she was promoted to agent — the first in the newly formed department to be upped.

As a first generation American, Hammad has made it a priority to represent underrepresented literary talent and brings with her a roster of diverse clients from various backgrounds.