Gabe Tesoriero, the media relations and brand strategy veteran who spent years as part of Def Jam’s communications team, and nearly a decade overseeing its communications department, has been named vice president of corporate communications for talent agency UTA, the company announced today (Aug. 6). In his new role, Tesoriero will lead comms for UTA’s global music team, and report to chief communications officer Cassandra Bujarski and senior vp Claudia Russo.
A longtime label veteran, Tesoriero got his start working with clients at Roc-A-Fella Records and VP Records before moving to Def Jam, where he played a big role guiding strategy during a golden era for the iconic hip-hop label, which included huge releases by the likes of Kanye West, Rihanna, Frank Ocean, Nas, Jeezy, Rick Ross, Justin Bieber, Pusha T, The Roots, Jhene Aiko and more. After leaving Def Jam, he launched his own PR firm Screaming Target, working with artists like Phish, Wu-Tang Clan, Clipse and record labels Alamo Records and OVO Sound.
UTA has made a series of executive moves of late, including bringing on Bujarski in February, naming David Kramer as CEO in March as part of a succession plan that shifted longtime leader Jeremy Zimmer to executive chairman, and bringing on high-powered hip-hop agents Zach Iser and Caroline Yim in April.
The agency represents artists such as Bad Bunny, Jon Batiste, Tyla, Florence & the Machine, Megan Moroney, Bailey Zimmerman, Christina Aguilera, Lil Nas X, Big Sean, Chaka Khan, Flo Milli, Halsey, J. Cole, LCD Soundsystem, Rosalia, Lizzo and many more.