B&M and THM collaborate to build a new creative agency

AUCKLAND, Today: Two well-respected New Zealand talent agencies have collaborated to form a new creative artist management company.

Belinda Foster, formerly of B&M Creative Artists and Tanya Horo (Taranaki iwi) of TMH Management have joined forces to create “a new creative agency powerhouse”, Collaborate Management.

Foster, who has worked as a talent agent for 24 years, founded B&M Creative Artists in 2010 and has represented some of Aotearoa’s finest practitioners in the fields of acting, speaking, writing and culinary talent.

Horo, who is an established actor, singer and writer, founded THM in 2015. She has an intimate understanding of how the entertainment industry works and is proud to nurture many up-and-coming Māori and Pasifika artists.

The two businesswomen have known each other since 1999 when Foster was representing Horo. During the pandemic the pair started talking about how their skills complement each other, and how they shared a passion and vision for making sure their clients were provided with every opportunity available.

Foster says, “Collaborate Management came about just as it sounds – the desire to collaborate.

“Collaborate represents creatives Vanessa Rare, Poroaki Merritt McDonald, and Semu Filipo – and culinary stars Simon Gault and Chelsea Winter.”

Our team has incredible skillsets that cross over multiple facets of talent management, for the people on our books and the wider industry. We have diversified and evolved our offering to focus on our passion for better – more collaborative – creative outcomes for talent and clients alike.”

Horo says, “We believe in a whānau approach to our management style at Collaborate. It’s about treating every creative as an individual who should be represented in a unique way. We understand the challenges and complexities of ‘making it’ in this industry and know that one size does not fit all.

“We want to build careers as well as self esteem and empower our collaborators. We are passionate creatives ourselves, who lead with heart, and this is a big part of our kaupapa that will flow through Collaborate.”

Collaborate represents a wide range of creatives, including Vanessa Rare, Poroaki Merritt McDonald, and Semu Filipo – and culinary stars Simon Gault and Chelsea Winter.

“The ethos of the new partnership is about active representation: to be inclusive, diverse and detailed,” says Foster.

“Collaborate is proud to have a team with varied skillsets. Kate Sullivan, who is based in Asia, brings years of experience and passion as their international agent; Kim de Tourettes, the visionary supports client branding and design; best-selling author (and a Robert Burns Fellow for literature) Michelle Powles is on the tools for writing; and literary agent Vicki Marsden is the fairy-bookmother to the Collaborate clients.

“Collaborate also has the part time support of an independent public relations expert to keep an eye out for key publicity opportunities for all their clients.”

• collaborate.co.nz