Verve's Bill Weinstein
Randall Slavin
The literary agency Verve has parted ways with CEO Bill Weinstein.
“We thank Bill as a co-founder and for his 14 years of service and wish him nothing but success in his future,” Verve leadership said in a statement on Monday.
The agency did not provide a reason, although the decision was “made after careful consultation by Verve's leadership and approved by Verve's board and owners,” according to the email announcing the removal. Some sources said the move could be financial; The literary-focused agency was hit hard by strikes last year. This, coupled with a decline in television, is affecting many companies and the agency is likely to be no exception. The company rejected takeover offers from Gersh last summer.
Verve will not appoint a new CEO. Responsibility for this role is shared by founder and managing partner Liz Parker.
Weinstein was named CEO in January 2023. He was a founding partner of Bryan Besser and Adam Levine. The trio left WME after Endeavor acquired it and opened their own shop in 2010.
Weinstein took a more active role in Hollywood outside of representation when he negotiated with the Writers Guild during contentious talks over packaging fees and affiliate production in 2019. Big agencies made their own deals.
Weinstein's clients included Sara Hess, Michael Arndt, Mike Jones and James Schamus.