Veteran artist manager Kevin “Chief” Zaruk and successful business investor Simon Tikhman announced today the formation of The Core Entertainment. The pair launched the venture to identify and support select talent managers by giving them the resources and infrastructure needed to grow and become more competitive. Live Nation – the world’s leading live entertainment company – is invested in the firm and will act as its strategic partner.
In addition to music management, The Core Ent. will form joint ventures with athletes, invest in technology, and develop TV and Film projects.
Tikhman and Zaruk come from different professional backgrounds but share the common understanding that an interconnected entertainment industry demands a comprehensive approach to talent management. “Chief and I view the industry the same way,” said Tikhman, Co-Founder and CEO, The Core Ent. “We both operate by leveraging relationships and resources across industries to create unique and lucrative opportunities.”
“There are so many artists and entrepreneurs with the talent and determination to disrupt their industries,” added Co-Founder Zaruk. “The Core offers our clientele the resources, exposure and capitol needed to scale and evolve. We look forward to leveraging our support from Michael Rapino and the vast resources from Live Nation to further expand our reach and influence.”
“We are always looking to partner with entrepreneurs who have vision,” said Michael Rapino, President and CEO, Live Nation Entertainment. “Chief and Simon have it in spades and we are excited to work with them to innovate in this quickly changing business.”
The deal for The Core Ent. was negotiated by attorney Joe Carlone at King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano.
About Simon Tikhman:
While still a student at the University of Southern California, Simon founded Interactive Athlete, a company that helped professional athletes and coaches create content and merchandise directly for their fans. Tikhman next became a strategic investor in the software development company, Monclarity, and its sister company, video game developer and publisher, TikGames. In this capacity, Tikhman helped create mobile entertainment apps for both Kevin Durant and Zayn Malik.
In 2008, Tikhman founded Simont Enterprises, an innovative spirits company that brought together some of the best people in the liquor industry to create cutting edge products from their distillery in Cognac, France. Simont Enterprises currently distributes and sells multiple products in the United States. Simon next became managing partner at the Fund by First Access Entertainment. The Fund supported companies across several areas, including but not limited to, the Internet of Things, shared economy, new marketing, fashion and music.
Simon has also invested independently in a growing portfolio of companies. Some of these investments include Robinhood, Glympse, Espresa, Philz Coffee, Exadel, and the e-Sports focused private equity firm, Vision Venture Partners. Simon also operates an investment vehicle called RPST Ventures in partnership with sports agent, Rich Paul. To date, RPST Ventures has provided strategic investments in Players NTWRK, an online e-sports content platform, and BEV, an innovative canned wine company.
About Chief Zaruk:
Kevin “Chief” Zaruk, a paradigm-challenging artist manager and founding partner of the Nashville-based indie conglomerate Big Loud, has been instrumental in the creation of its booming hybrid business model and is a force of nature driving its unparalleled growth. Big Loud is now one of the hottest players in Country music publishing, artist management, label services, and capital investment, with red-hot clients such as Morgan Wallen, Chris Lane, and Dallas Smith, plus electrifying upstarts like HARDY, blazing their own trail through the middle of Music Row.
Based in Nashville, TN, the Vancouver, British Columbia-native began his career as the tour manager for Hard-Rock giants Nickelback. A longtime friend and manager of Nickelback producer Joey Moi, the pair teamed up with GRAMMY-winning songwriter Craig Wiseman and manager Seth England to found all-inclusive music company Big Loud Mountain Publishing and Management in 2011, hoping to apply the artist development skills Zaruk learned in the Rock genre to the Country scene. Advocating a top-to-bottom approach in building a successful act, Zaruk was an integral factor in the meteoric rise of superstar entertainers Florida Georgia Line – the first act signed by Big Loud Mountain.
Continuing to change the game in big, loud style in 2015, the partners expanded with a record label division, Big Loud Records, that now boasts a head-turning roster including Morgan Wallen, Jake Owen, Chris Lane, HARDY, Madison Kozak, Mason Ramsey, MacKenzie Porter, ERNEST, Larry Fleet, and Sean Stemaly. With a forward-thinking approach, Zaruk has kept his eyes fixed on launching and championing the breakout careers of their in-demand artists. Upping the ante in 2017, the partners merged all three companies – along with venture capital fund, Big Loud Capital – to create cutting-edge music innovator Big Loud. The same year, Big Loud joined forces with genre-bridging management group Maverick. Zaruk’s influence on the Country industry continues to be felt, as Big Loud tallies multiple GOLD and PLATINUM certifications and five #1 hits, in addition to more than 3.6 billion global streams to date.
About Live Nation:
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. For additional information, visit investors.livenationentertainment.com