ICM’s Ryan Wackerman Joins APA As SVP, Alternative & Factual Programming

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EXCLUSIVE: APA has hired veteran unscripted TV Agent Ryan Wackerman as SVP, Alternative & Factual Programming.

Wackerman, who will report to Hayden Meyer, APA’s head of Alternative and Factual Programming, is the eighth ICM agent/executive APA has brought in from the group that left on the eve of CAA’s acquisition. APA has been the most aggressive pursuing former ICM talent as the agency has ramped up expansion following the 2020 investment by Ron Burkle.

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Wackerman comes to APA after an 11-year run at ICM Partners, where he worked with non-scripted and documentary production companies, showrunners, directors, producers, and on-camera talent in broadcast, cable, streaming, and syndication, including 3 Ball Productions (Bar Rescue), Big Coat Media (Love It Or List It), FRANK (Delicious Miss Brown), Grandma’s House Entertainment (Misery Index), Workaholic Productions (True Terror with Robert Englund), and ZnakTV (Ultimate Tag) as well as executive producers on series such as American Idol, Alone, The Bachelor, Big Brother, Homestead Rescue, Love & Hip Hop, Queer Eye, Selling Sunset, Top Chef, The Ultimatum, and Wild ‘N Out in addition to on-camera talents like Judge Lynn Toler and Dr. Ish Major from Marriage Boot Camp. Many of the clients Wackerman was point on are expected to follow him to APA.

“We are excited to have Ryan and his clients join us bolstering our aggressive expansion strategy during this time of transition within the agency business, which will benefit all of our clients,” said Jim Gosnell and Jim Osborne, CEO and President of APA respectively, in a joint statement.

As Deadline reported in June, ICM’s alternative department was heavily impacted by the CAA merger. Former members who have since landed elsewhere include Michael Kagan, the former head of ICM Partners’ International Television and Media Department, who joined Range as Partner and Head of International Non-Scripted and Co-Head of Domestic Non-Scripted; Andy Stabile, who joined Verve As Partner & Head Of Unscripted; as well as Wackerman, Seth Lawrence and Katie Kolben who all went to APA.

“We are looking forward to working with Ryan to incorporate his impressive roster of show creators, show runners, production companies, and on-camera talent into APA’s content creation focused ecosystem. We’ve been extremely successful in this area over the past few years and the acquisition of a talent like Ryan will ensure we stay on a growth trajectory,” said Kyle Loftus, Head of Content Development and Hayden Meyer head of Alternative and Factual Programming at APA.

Wackerman joined the International Television & Media Department at ICM in 2011 from Kaplan Stahler Agency where he worked in the Reality Department with Sean Zeid whom he rejoins at APA, along with his former ICM colleagues including Alternative & Factual Programming agents Seth Lawrence and Katie Kolben, Andrew Rogers, Head of Global Talent, Mike Hayes, Senior Vice President, Global Concerts, Chris Smith Senior Vice-President, Concerts & Talent, and Phoebe Burnham as well as Chief Communications Officer Brad Turell.

“I am looking forward to hitting the ground running within the aggressive, strategic, and collaborative entrepreneurial environment that APA has created for the benefit of all our clients. What they have done already in the alternative and crossover space is second to none and I am excited to join an amazing team whose philosophy of career building aligns with my own,” said Ryan Wackerman.

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