AMC Studios Alum Rick Olshansky Joins Verve as Special Advisor

By Variety Staff

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Former AMC Studios executive Rick Olshansky has joined Verve talent agency in the role of special advisor.

Olshansky will help the agency run its business operations and represent on dealmaking with outside entities. The literary-focused agency is marking its 10th anniversary this year.

“Rick’s invaluable industry experience will help Verve centralize its legal/business affairs interactions in film, television, ventures, publishing and beyond,” the Verve partners said in a statement.

Olshansky spent the past five years at AMC Networks as president of business operations for AMC Studios, helping to steer the expansion of the company’s production operations and licensing activity around the world. He exited AMC at the end of last year.

Before AMC, Olshansky held business affairs posts at NBC and at Endeavor.

“I am so happy to be working with Verve. I admired the courage to start the company 10 years ago and the dedication to principle they have displayed in all their industry decisions since,” Olshansky said.

Verve raised its profile in Hollywood last year as one of the first agencies to sign on the WGA’s new code of conduct governing agents — a controversial move that has spurred lawsuits and a standoff involving thousands of guild members who parted ways with their agents at CAA, WME, UTA, ICM Partners and Paradigm.

Verve at present has a staff of about 30 agents and executives. Last month, Verve recruited Chernin Entertainment executive Chris Lupo to head a unit devoted to adapting books for film, TV and digital projects.