Sports-Talent Powerhouse Nick Khan Jumps to WWE From CAA
Nick Khan, a behind-the-scenes power in the world of sports representation, is moving to professional-wrestling powerhouse WWE, where he will take on the role of president and chief revenue officer.
Khan replaces George Barrios and Michelle Wilson, two longtime senior WWE executives who left Vince McMahon’s entrepreneurial professional-wrestling operation abruptly in a shake-up of management in January. WWE also said Wednesday that Kristina Salen, formerly CEO of Etsy, had joined the company as its new chief financial officer.
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Khan has over the years moved from representing sports personalities to negotiating deals for sports leagues and organizations as they seek to strike media agreements with TV networks and digital services. At CAA, he represented WWE as well as the Southeastern Conference and Top Rank Boxing. He recently helped WWE strike new pacts for its popular “WWE Smackdown,” now on Fox, and “WWE Raw,” which airs on NBCUniversal’s USA cable network.
“Nick is a seasoned media executive with a deep understanding of our business and a proven track record of generating significant value for sports and entertainment properties,” said Vince McMahon, the WWE’s chairman and CEO, in a statement. “While representing WWE at CAA, he was instrumental in transforming our business model by securing domestic media rights increases of 3.6x over our previous agreements. Nick’s management style and personal demeanor are perfect for WWE’s entrepreneurial culture, and he will fit right in with our exceptional management team.”
A former attorney, Khan moved to ICM in 2006, where he launched a sports media department. In 2012, he joined CAA, where he would become co-head of that agency’s TV department. “I am very much looking forward to expanding my relationship with Vince McMahon and the entire team at WWE, and becoming a full-time member of the WWE family,” said Khan, in a statement. “It’s rare to have an opportunity to work at a company that is not only legendary in what it has already accomplished, but also uniquely poised to enter into an unprecedented phase of growth and expansion across all lines of business. Our collective industry experience will enable us to extract maximum value across the portfolio globally while driving long-term shareholder value.”
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