ICM talent agent and head of digital ventures Chris Sawtelle is leaving the firm to become co-president of CrossCheck Holdings, the sports, entertainment, and marketing company founded by ICM clients Josh Richards and Michael Gruen.
CrossCheck’s holdings include CrossCheck Studios, the production studio Richards and Gruen launched earlier this year in a deal with Mark Wahlberg’s studio Unrealistic Ideas; HawkeZ, a Gen Z-focused marketing agency that Richards opened in June with his fellow Sway House TikToker and frequent business partner Griffin Johnson; and Richards and Gruen’s athlete management firm CrossCheck Sports.
Richards serves as CrossCheck Holdings’ CEO, and Gruen is its other co-president.
Sawtelle began working with the duo in March 2020, when ICM signed on to represent one of their other business ventures, digital management company TalentX Entertainment. Sawtelle, who joined ICM in 2018 and whose other clients include top YouTube personalities like Dan Howell and the Try Guys, led that partnership for ICM.
CrossCheck says Sawtelle is exiting “with the blessing of his former employer.”
ICM will continue to represent Richards, Gruen, CrossCheck Holdings, and TalentX Entertainment.
“I’m grateful to Josh and Michael for giving me this opportunity and to ICM for the opportunity to grow as a representative and entrepreneur,” Sawtelle said in a statement. “I’ve enjoyed working with the team as clients, and now I’m thrilled to join the company and help build the business from the inside.”
“We’re excited to continue working with Chris in this new capacity,” Gruen said in his own statement. “Not only is Chris one of the most ambitious, forward-thinking agent sin the business, he has a background that encompasses motion picture literary, digital, brand management and production–all the key areas we’re focused on.”
Richards added that having Sawtelle on board will allow CrossCheck Holdings to “identify and seize new opportunities across verticals.”
Prior to joining ICM, Sawtelle spent four years at production and management company Anonymous Content. He started his management career as an assistant at CAA in 2014.
