Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and India-based talent agency KWAN Entertainment & Marketing Solutions have formed a joint venture to represent local talent in India. Based in Mumbai, CAA KWAN will focus in areas around film and television, music, commercial endorsements, sports consulting, licensing and merchandising, live events and business development.
CAA’s David Taghioff and Caleb Franklin; KWAN’ chief executive/managing director Anirban Das Blah and COO Indranil “Niel” Blah will jointly lead CAA KWAN. With other offices in Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad, the company will boast more than 60 employees.
“India’s robust entertainment industry offers CAA KWAN tremendous opportunities for talent across multiple platforms,” CAA president Richard Lovett said in a statement. “In a very short period of time, KWAN has intelligently scaled and diversified their business to maximize this thriving marketplace for their clients. KWAN’s deep network of relationships, local-market knowledge, and collaborative business philosophy make them a powerful partner in furthering CAA’s existing business in India and providing our clients with more opportunities.”
Taghioff joined CAA in 2011 from Octagon, where served as COO of the company’s entertainment division. And since 2007, Franklin has worked on CAA’s international efforts in films, TV and digital development. He Franklin previously worked in India as a film producer and as director of non-profit film education initiative Total Film India.
Anirban Das Blah co-founded KWAN in 2009. He formerly served as CEO of sports and celebrity management company GloboSport. Indranil “Niel” Blah joined KWAN in 2009 from GloboSport, where he was VP of sports. He currently oversees KWAN’s day-to-day operations.
