Creative culture agency WildKat has appointed Olivia Brown as managing director. Brown, just 28, will run the company alongside founding director Kathleen Alder.
Speaking exclusively with IAM, Brown praised Alder for trusting in young talent:
“Kat is a leader who relies on making choices based on personal instincts and who she feels best fits a role, rather than systems of hierarchy,” she said. “I feel this is a great example for the rest of the industry to lead by, and as a company we will always strive to give opportunities to young people based upon competence, not age.
“If we want to fill our concert halls and event spaces with young and diverse audiences, as well as those who are already engaged, then boards and management teams across our industries need to reflect that.”
Brown steps into the role with immediate effect, having previously been WildKat’s Europe director. She’s worked with companies including Music for Youth, London Music Masters, Academy of Ancient Music, France Music, Royal Over-Seas League and Spitalfields Music.
Commented Alder: “Olivia has proven herself to be essential to WildKat. She has steered the company through the international expansion and the COVID-19 crisis with clarity and definition. My decision to promote Olivia reflects how she is the driving force behind the flourishing of WildKat.”
It is the second major piece of news for WildKat in the last year, after the company announced Edition Capital was investing almost €1m in it. This investment has since allowed the company to open additional offices in Europe and North America.