LOS ANGELES (October 1, 2024) – Entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) today announced that it has acquired Hanold Associates Executive Search, a leading executive search and leadership advisory firm. Co-founded by Neela Seenandan and Jason Hanold, Hanold Associates recruits diverse Corporate Officers and Board Directors, with a significant focus on leading high-profile searches for Chief People and HR Officers across industries. Hanold Associates team of 20 colleagues will be integrated into CAA’s industry-leading Executive Search division. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We continue in our longstanding efforts to innovate growth opportunities across all facets of CAA that further our commitment to providing unmatched resources to our esteemed clients worldwide,” said Paul Danforth, CAA Managing Director and President, CAA Sports. “CAA was the first talent agency to launch an executive search division, and we are thrilled with the incredible success that Joe Becher, Asher Simons, and their team consistently deliver to their clients across sports and entertainment. The addition of Hanold Associates, and its unique expertise, will amplify our efforts in this important service area and we are excited to see what these two teams can accomplish together.”
Hanold Associates, trusted by CEOs of startups, founder-led organizations, family offices, pre-IPO companies, PE firms and Fortune 100 organizations, has completed more than 2,000 searches for its clients across industries, has completed more than 2,000 searches for its clients across industries, which include American Airlines, Apollo, a16z, A+E Networks, Acushnet, BlackRock, Blackstone, Cartier, College Football Hall of Fame, CBS, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Domino’s Pizza, eBay, Electronic Arts, Fanatics, Federal Reserve Bank of NY, Ford Motors, Ford Foundation, Gucci, Hearst, Indeed, KKR, L Catterton, Live Nation, MGM Resorts, Moderna, Nederlander, The New York Times, Nordstrom, Paramount, Patagonia, Phillips 66, Prada, Kering, Robert F Kennedy Human Rights, Riddell, Save The Children, Shore Capital, TB12, Uber, Under Armour, Vail Resorts, Walgreens, and Zoom. Founded in 2010, Hanold Associates is headquartered in Chicago, with partners located in Boston, New York, Salt Lake City, Detroit, and Phoenix.
“The recruitment of effective Human Resources leadership is vital to the growth and success of any organization, and Neela, Jason, and the team at Hanold Associates are without peer in this space,” said Becher. “There are tremendous synergies across our businesses and clients. Hanold’s culture and approach to client service is complementary to ours, and we are thrilled to join forces to bring these world class resources to our clients globally.”
CAA Executive Search was co-founded by Becher and Simons in 2017, marking the first major U.S. talent agency to build an executive search practice. CAA Executive Search serves the sports, entertainment, and media industries, working closely with its clients to help build leadership teams through executive search; designs and develops organizational structures and compensation plans; and engages with investors, venture capital and private equity firms on human capital due diligence projects, providing expert insight into senior management teams within acquisition targets. Since its launch, CAA Executive Search has worked across all major global rightsholders, in addition to technology companies, record labels, esports leagues and franchises, gaming publishers, live entertainment promoters, sports betting companies, traditional and digital media businesses, agencies, global brands, private equity firms, VC funds, and family offices.
“We are thrilled to join forces with such an outstanding team of people at CAA, who share our values, commitment to talent, and a great culture while elevating others. This partnership allows us to serve our existing and new clients more broadly, bringing the full reach, connectivity, and relationships of CAA into our client service offerings,” said Hanold, now President, CAA Executive Search.
Added Seenandan, now President, CAA Leadership Advisory, “We are excited to join the CAA team and expand our services globally. The ability to grow our relationships and provide both search and leadership advisory services to complement the work that CAA already does will allow us to more fully support our clients. Our team will bring consultative excellence and deep technical knowledge to an already strong CAA team. Working closely with Joe and Asher, we will continue to build on their world class reputation across the whole of CAA’s client portfolio.”
Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is a leading entertainment and sports agency, with global expertise in filmed and live entertainment, digital media, publishing, sponsorship sales and endorsements, media finance, consumer investing, fashion, brand management and consumer product licensing, executive search, and philanthropy. Distinguished by its culture of collaboration and exceptional client service, CAA’s diverse workforce identifies, innovates, and amplifies opportunities for the people and organizations that shape culture and inspire the world.
The trailblazer of the agency business, CAA was the first to build a sports business, create an investment bank, launch a venture fund, found technology start-up companies, establish a philanthropic arm, build a business in China, and form a brand marketing services division, among other innovations. Named Most Valuable Sports Agency by Forbes for nine consecutive years, CAA represents more than 3,000 of the world’s top athletes in football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and soccer, in addition to coaches, on-air broadcasters, and sports personalities and works in the areas of property sales and sponsorships, media advisory, brand consulting, and venue development and strategic advisory.
Founded in 1975, CAA is headquartered in Los Angeles, and has offices in New York, Nashville, Memphis, Chicago, Miami, London, Munich, Geneva, Stockholm, Shanghai, and Beijing, among other locations globally. For more information, please visit www.caa.com.
CONTACT: Beth McClinton, CAA, 424.288.2000, beth.mcclinton@caa.com