• The Fifth Talent launches with a diverse social-first and mainstream roster
• Aims to develop talent, with access to News UK’s in-house production

The Fifth today announces the launch of a new talent management  business: The Fifth Talent. Created as a response to social-first talent looking for a more holistic approach to development and management, the new agency will bolster The Fifth’s growing international reputation. It will operate separately from influencer marketing agency, The Fifth, which is growing fast with a client list including Tag Heuer, Marc Jacobs, Lucozade and TikTok.

In line with The Fifth’s manifesto, The Fifth Talent aims to celebrate diversity and promote inclusion for brand campaigns across multiple sectors. The agency will represent those who showcase a unique skill, quirk and authentic story, who each champion change and positive impact. A sample of the talent on the roster at launch includes:

• Asma Elbadawi, who led the campaign for basketball rules to be changed to allow hijabs
• Wednesday Holmes, LGBTIQ+ activist and illustrator
• Samira Kazan AKA Alpha Foodie
• Flying The Nest, Australia’s biggest travel vloggers
• Hamzah Shiraz, WBO European Super Welterweight Champion
• Natalie Glaze, founder of sustainable swimwear brand Stay Wild

The Fifth Talent will also manage News UK’s content creators and lifestyle journalists such as Sunday Times Style Magazine’s deputy beauty editor Ava Welsing-Kitcher , Fabulous Magazine’s fashion director Tracey Sayer and The Times Money Mentor’s Gemma Godfrey, creating opportunities to partner with brands independently of the publisher’s titles.

Those signed by The Fifth Talent will have exclusive access to News UK’s in-house creative and production studios to support multi-media publishing, including podcasting and broadcasting, as part of the agency’s mission to elevate the social talent of today into the mainstream talent of tomorrow.  

The specialist team will help their signed talent to navigate the complex commercial ecosystem by identifying the right brands to build long-term strategic partnerships that elevate their shared values and allow them to tell authentic stories.

Oliver Lewis, Founder and Managing Director at The Fifth Group, comments: “The Fifth’s ethos is all about putting storytellers at the heart of the business, so there has always been an appetite to expand our offering and get closer to the talent we admire. Over the past year we’ve listened carefully to talents’ challenges and have created a proposition that truly meets their individual needs, rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach to management.”

The new talent agency will be headed up by Katie Wallwork, who joins the business as Director of Talent. Katie joins following two years running her own talent management roster and personal brand consultancy, where she managed some of the biggest digital content creators including Fun For Louis. Prior to this, Katie led the personal brand division at Social Chain. She will be joined by Chloë Downes, previously talent manager at Sixteenth; Adam Bowdery, previously talent manager at ASM Talent; and Olivia Francis, previously a publicist at Dundas Communications.

Katie Wallwork, Director of Talent at The Fifth Talent, comments: “As we grow, we’re excited to continue identifying and working with exciting content creators, storytellers and emerging talent across all categories. The team will help talent develop their individual brand narratives, create new formats, as well as supporting their ambitions to expand their channels and reach new territories, and markets.”

Launched last year, The Fifth has become an established agency partner for leading brands, including Tag Heuer, Marc Jacobs, Lucozade and TikTok, working with a wide range of talent from Anthony Joshua to feminist artist Florence Given. It has executed creative brand storytelling campaigns across Europe and the US, which has led to The Fifth being recognised as finalist for the upcoming Influencer Marketing Awards ‘Best Large Agency of the Year’. The growth of the business has also resulted in 15 new hires for the group in less than 12 months.