Jed Root

Jed Root founded Jed Root Inc., previously one of the leading artist management agencies, in 1989. His company represented a broad spectrum of creative professionals, including photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists, stylists, illustrators and set designers, before it shuttered in 2017 after 28 years.

Root told Lookbooks, “I was introduced to this business as soon as I moved to New York in 1981. I held a number of various jobs, hair assistant, stylist’s assistant, worked in a fur boutique on Madison Ave, etc. My first real, full-time job was working at Name Models from 1986-1988. That made me realise I enjoyed being an agent but didn’t especially love the model business at that point. So I started Jed Root, Inc. in the beginning of 1989.”

Root later told The Ground Mag that he was inspired to be an agent by “Roger Davies, although he was technically a ‘manager’ rather than an ‘agent.’ He was responsible for remaking Tina Turner’s career back in the early ’90s. He also managed Cher, Janet Jackson, and others. I really try to be more of a manager to my artists than just an agent.”

Jed Root, Inc. went on to become an internationally acclaimed agency with over 50 employees and offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris and Tokyo. In June 2015, the agency was acquired by RPRT, led by Chief Executive Officer Oliver Fiechter and Chief Financial Officer Wolfgang Schmid. However, less than two years later, all of the employees, including Root, were fired amidst internal reports of unpaid debts and mismanagement.