Emma Banks will be awarded the prestigious 2018 Music Industry Trusts (MITs) Award in London this November, in recognition of her contribution to the music industry in a career spanning over 25 years.
Banks follows last year’s MITs honouree Rob Stringer and joins the ranks of previous recipients including Kylie Minogue OBE, Sir Lucian Grainge, Ahmet Ertegun, Simon Cowell, Michael Eavis CBE, and Annie Lennox OBE.
She is the first ever female executive to win the award, although two female artists have previously picked up the gong (Minogue and Lennox).
Co-Head of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) London, the widely-respected Banks looks after a roster including Katy Perry, Arcade Fire, Florence + The Machine, Kylie Minogue, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lorde, among many others. Her recent signings include Green Day, Muse, HAIM and Paramore.
In addition to her role at CAA, Banks is chair of the Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clef committee.
David Munns OBE, chairman of the MITS Award committee, said: “Emma’s innate ability to work with artists, build relationships and of course spot the talent in the first place makes her quite unique. A trailblazer for women in the industry from the outset, she is hugely respected by promoters, colleagues, artists and competitors alike. Coupled with a drive and enthusiasm rarely seen after nearly 30 years in the business, Emma is the deserving recipient of the 2018 Music Industry Trusts Award.”
The award will be presented on November 5 at a ceremony held in aid of the BRIT Trust and Nordoff Robbins.
Beginning her career at Wasted Talent (later Helter Skelter), Banks and Mike Greek built the company into one of the most successful music booking agencies in Europe, and she was subsequently named Managing Director.
“Emma Banks has been a constant source of support and wisdom throughout my career. Her strength, kindness, and intuition are an inspiration to me, and many other women in the music industry.”
Florence Welch
After joining leading entertainment and sports agency CAA in 2006, Banks helped establish the agency’s London office. One of her first signings at CAA was a young Florence Welch, who was playing small venues in London at the time – Florence + The Machine now regularly sell out festivals and arenas across the world.
Florence Welch said: “Emma Banks has been a constant source of support and wisdom throughout my career. Her strength, kindness, and intuition are an inspiration to me, and many other women in the music industry, EMMA WE SALUTE YOU, Thank you for everything x”.
Banks also represents US pop star Katy Perry. The CAA exec has worked alongside Perry from her very first UK show at The Water Rats in London.
Banks has received a number of accolades throughout her career, appearing on both Billboard’s Women In Music and International Power Players lists a number of times.
She is a seven-time winner of Pollstar’s UK Agent of the Year Award, was honoured twice by the now defunct UK’s Woman of the Year Awards for the Music Industry and in 2015 received the Outstanding Contribution Award at the Music Week Women In Music Awards.
Emma Banks said “I am overwhelmed at being honoured at the MITS this year. I am rarely lost for words but when David Munns rang me to ask if I would accept the award I was honestly dumbfounded. The MITS ‘roll of honour’ is packed with people that I admire and respect – I never expected to be added to that list but will do my very best to be worthy of it! I am looking forward to a great night and to raising lots of money for the two fantastic charities that the event supports – Nordoff Robbins and the Brit Trust. See you there!”
Celebrating its 27th year, the Music Industry Trusts Award is recognised as one of the true benchmarks of achievement in the UK music business, and continues to benefit hugely deserving causes year after year. The MITS Award supports two important charities, the BRIT Trust and Nordoff Robbins, and is sponsored by Ingenious, PPL, SJM and Spotify.Music Business Worldwide
