UTA Hires Former Ingrooves CEO Bob Roback as COO

UTA has a new COO.

The talent agency says that it has hired Bob Roback to serve as its COO, running business operations, growth, strategy, technology and other key areas of the firm. He will report to UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer and president David Kramer, and will join the firm’s board of directors.

Andrew Thau, who had been COO while also serving as co-head of UTA Sports, will focus exclusively on expanding UTA’s sports business.

Roback was most recently CEO of Ingrooves Music Group, which is now part of Universal Music Group, and before that was president of the musical instrument company Fender. He also co-founded a number of companies, including Dashbox, The Media Farm and LAUNCH Media, which became Yahoo Music.

“I’m delighted to welcome Bob Roback to UTA,” said Zimmer in a statement. “Throughout his accomplished career, Bob has built and led multiple businesses at the intersection of entertainment and technology, and he will be a valued partner at UTA as we help our clients thrive in an increasingly global and complex marketplace.”

“I also want to acknowledge the many contributions of Andrew Thau, who served as our COO since 2007 and became co-head of UTA Sports last year,” Zimmer added. “I’m excited for what Andrew will accomplish as he focuses full-time on building out our sports presence in the global arena.”

“I’ve long admired UTA’s dedication to its clients and ability to lead the way in defining what it means to be a global agency during a time of tremendous change and opportunity,” added Roback. “I’m thrilled to be joining the company at this exciting time and look forward to shaping the future with UTA’s talented and ambitious team.”

“Bob’s experience and approach make him an ideal fit in UTA’s entrepreneurial and future-focused culture,” Kramer added. “Artists, athletes and brands are looking to participate globally across every part of the entertainment landscape, and Bob will help ensure we continue to operate at a level that exemplifies best-in-class representation.”

This story was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

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