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Michael Yanover

Head of Business Development at Creative Artists Agency

Los Angeles, California

Overview

Work Experience

  • Head of Business Development

    2003 - 2024

    • Develop new lines of business for CAA and its clients, from concept to launch. Build business and financial models, raise capital, negotiate talent involvement, recruit business teams, assemble Boards of Directors, and secure initial business for each entity. Currently 8.3x return on realized/unrealized investments and 6.5x return on fully realized investments. • Developed Creative Labs/Caravan in 2017, as an internal foundry/start-up studio to incubate CAA originated companies. Assembled a pool of capital and engineers to both systematize and accelerate start-up activities. Established operations in Vancouver, Canada to take advantage of in-country talent, along with key subsidies, tax breaks, and currency climate. • Created Star Avenue Capital, a growth-stage private equity vehicle and joint venture between CAA and Irving Place Capital. Maintained a focus on investments in rapid growth health and wellness, beauty, and fashion companies. Invested in JBrand Jeans and sold to FastRetailing 2 years later. Early investor in Charlotte Tilbury, a beauty company since sold to PUIG. • Established CAA’s technology corporate representation practice, which bridges the gap between Silicon Valley and Hollywood. Signed and represented clients that include Amazon, Cisco, Tencent, and LINE. Created start-ups for CAA clients in collaboration with leading VCs, most notably Haus Beauty with Lady Gaga, and Funny or Die with Will Ferrell. • Established CAA Ventures in 2012, an early stage VC fund to invest in seed and Series A rounds for consumer internet companies. CAA Ventures leverages CAA’s network to enable investments alongside leading VCs. The fund has made investments which include Dapper Labs, Theta/SliverTV, Genies, GIPHY, Medium, Patreon, BarkBox, and The Drone Racing League.

  • CAA New Businesses Co-Founded and Launched

    2003 - 2024

    OAM Skin (2022 - 2024) | Founding Board Member – Formed business, with New Mountain Capital as lead investor and Topix as partner, as a new dermatological grade skincare business in partnership with co-founder and pop-star, Ciara Yummers Pet Supply (2022 - 2024) | Founding Board Member – Formed business, with LCatterton as lead investor and Petco as retailer, as a new pet food/supplement business in partnership with co-founders Jonathan Van Ness and Antoni Porowski (hosts of Queer Eye TV Show) De Soi (2021- 2024) | Founding Board Member – Formed business with AMASS as a new non-alcoholic aperitif in partnership with co-founder Katy Perry Haus Labs (2018 – 2024) | Founding Board Member – Developed the concept, raised all capital and built the initial team behind a new direct-to-consumer beauty company, with Lady Gaga. Launched the company in 2018 as a fully independent start-up with VC backing. Caravan Studios (2017 – 2024) | Founding Board Member – Served as principal architect behind a new start-up studio, established to incubate and launch new businesses in collaboration with CAA clients. Startups to date include: fit52, a Carrie Underwood co-founded digital fitness business, Hai, a "Nest-for-the-Bathroom" start-up, and Hanx101 game with Tom Hanks. Funny or Die (2007 – 2021) | Founding Board Member – Conceived the idea for the online comedy with Sequoia Capital, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, and Judd Apatow to the project. Company sold in 2021. WhoSay (2010 – 2017) | Founding Board Member – Conceived this start-up to organize and monetize social media content from CAA clients. Investors/partners included Amazon, Comcast Ventures, Tencent, and Greylock Partners. Viacom acquired the Company in 2017. EmpowerEDU (2011 – 2014) | Founding Board Member – Co-conceived this mobile start-up with Sherry Lansing and Steve Poizner to help an older audience to reinvent through continuing career education. Company was sold to Qualcomm in 2014.

  • SVP & GM - Macromedia / Atom Shockwave (Acquired by Adobe)

    1999 - 2002

    • Led the development of in-house content, licensed outside content, and worked with sales to monetize content on our ad-supported platform. Co-led the formation of Atom Shockwave, backed by Sequoia and sold to Viacom. Managed 10 direct reports, an organization of 30 personnel, and production budgets of up to $20M. • Played a central role in advancing early linear and interactive content online, and served as member of the Embedded Flash team. Before Netflix existed, pioneered the creation of premium short-form content online. Closed groundbreaking deals with the creators of South Park, David Lynch, James L. Brooks, and Tim Burton.

  • CEO & Founder

    1995 - 1999

  • Head of Business Development - Malibu Entertainment

    1994 - 1995

  • Associate Attorney - Sinclair & Tenenbaum & Co.

    1990 - 1994

  • Corporate Associate Attorney

    1988 - 1990

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