Verve Bill Weinstein
Randall Slavin
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 Monday.
The agency did not provide any reason, though the decision was “made after thoughtful deliberations by Verve's leadership and approved by Verve's board of directors and owners,” according to the email announcing the ouster. Some sources said that this move may be financial. The agency, which focuses heavily on literary works, was hit hard during strikes last year. This, coupled with the downturn in television, is affecting many businesses and the agency may be no exception. The company rejected takeover offers from Gersh last summer.
Verve will not appoint a new CEO. Responsibilities for this role will be shared by the founders and Managing Partner, Liz Parker.
Weinstein was appointed CEO in January 2023. He was a co-founder with Brian Besser and Adam Levine. The trio left WME after it was acquired by Endeavor and launched their own store in 2010.
Weinstein took on a more active role in Hollywood outside of acting when he became involved in negotiations with the Writers Guild during contentious talks over packaging fees and affiliate production in 2019. He led Verve in breaking ranks to sign a writers' code of conduct before major agencies made their own deals.
Weinstein's client list included Sarah Hess, Michael Arndt, Mike Jones, James Shamos, and others.
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