Office Hour

Hollywood talent agencies have evolved far beyond the Michael Ovitz era, Ari from Entourage, and the whole mailroom-to-boardroom archetype. Today they're billion-dollar cultural powerhouses navigating AI transformation, creator economies, and the convergence of entertainment, sports, and corporate strategy. David Kramer embodies this evolution—he started in UTA's mailroom in 1992 when it was a 50-person literary agency and has spent 34 years at the company. He’s about to celebrate his one-year anniversary as CEO. Under Kramer's leadership, UTA has radically diversified beyond traditional film and television representation, which he says now comprises just 40% of the business, compared to 95% fifteen years ago. The agency's portfolio spans pop-music giants like Bad Bunny and John Legend, LeBron James and other athletes via its Klutch Sports, digital-native creators like Alex Cooper and Mr. Beast, and corporate advisory for Coca-Cola, Google and other brands. This transformation reflects a broader industry shift where creators want traditional entertainment opportunities and legacy talent seeks digital platforms. Basically, everybody wants a piece of what everyone else is doing. It’s a complex convergence, and Kramer is right at the middle of it.

On today’s episode Brendan Vaughan interviews Anjali Sud, the CEO of fox-owned streaming service Tubi. What’s unique about Tubi is that they don’t have a subscription model like just about every other major streamer. Instead they employ an ad-supported model, which gives every viewer free access to its library of 3000,000 movies and TV episodes, from syndicated ’70s sitcoms to art-house mainstays. That’s helped the service rocket from 51 million monthly active users in 2022 to over 100 million active users today. Brendan talks to Anjali about the company’s revenue model, staying competitive in a crowded market, and how it listens to its audience to create fan-driven content.

On today’s episode, Brendan Vaughan talks to ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro. For the summer issue of Fast Company Magazine, Jimmy talked to Fast Company about what was then the upcoming launch of ESPN’s first-ever direct-to-consumer offering. That service launched in August. We wanted to catch up with him about how that rollout has been going, but also to discuss ESPN’s sports betting partnerships in light of recent scandals in the NBA and MLB. PLUS we had to ask him about his chances of succeeding Bob Iger as CEO of Disney, ESPN’s parent company.

On today’s episode Brendan Vaughan talks with Amy Howe, CEO of FanDuel. If you’ve watched just about any sporting event, or listened to a podcast from the Ringer, you’ve heard about FanDuel. They are one half of the duopoly at the top of the booming world of sports betting. (Draft Kings is the other.) Ever since the 2018 supreme court decision that struck down a federal law prohibiting sports gambling, the industry has been on a steady rise. It’s legal in 40 states now, with the notable exception of California. The industry’s revenue has grown exponentially year over year with nearly 14 billion in total revenue in 2024 according to the American Gaming association. The vast majority of that revenue came from online betting on platforms like FanDuel. But, while the economic gains are impressive, there are downsides to combat…like problem gambling and the specter of match fixing.

In this bonus episode, executive director of editorial programming, Kc Ifeanyi, chats with editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan about Fast Company's Innovation Festival 2025. They discuss the latest panels, and Fast Tracks, or what Brendan likes to call "field trips for grown-ups." This is where attendees visit the companies that FC reports on. Later, Brendan asks Kc about a moment at the innovation festival that "keeps him up at night." Fast Company's 11th annual Innovation Festival hits New York City this September 15-18. There's an incredible lineup of speakers, activations, workshops, dinners, and much more. It's going to be a packed week full of insights, networking, and, of course, innovation. Head to events.fastcompany.com to get the most up-to-date lineup of speakers and sessions. And use code "create20" for 20% off a Select Innovation Festival pass. See you there!

On today’s episode, host Brendan Vaughan talks to David Miliband. If you are familiar with British politics, you might remember Miliband from his time as the UK’s Foreign Secretary and as a member of parliament for the labor party. But, in 2013 he left politics to become the President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, which is a global humanitarian aid organization. Brendan and David talk about how the Trump Administration has upended humanitarian aid as well as the ongoing work the IRC is doing in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. They also discuss how the IRC is using AI to better anticipate humanitarian crises.

What does it take to lead in a world that never stops changing? Join ‘Fast Company’ editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan as he sits down with the world’s top leaders in business, government, and culture to explore the trends shaping our world right now. From groundbreaking innovations to shifting workplace dynamics, each episode dives deep into the forces driving change—and the leadership principles that guide today’s most influential minds. Whether you're a forward-thinking executive, an entrepreneur, or just curious about what’s next, ‘Office Hour’ delivers bold ideas and candid conversations that will help you navigate the future.