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BANKS' HOLIDAY

CAA U.K. co-Head Emma Banks received the MITs gong in London Monday at a ceremony attended by the creme de la creme of the British music business. All were treated to some very special performances from Florence Welch, Beth Ditto and Texas.

Banks was honoured for a 28-year career steering the success of some of the biggest live acts in the world. Just a few of those paying respects via video included Tenacious D, Kylie Minogue, Mark Wakefield of Velvet Hammer, Hozier, Katy Perry and manager Steve Jensen, CAA’s Rob Light, Charlie Puth, Kraftwerk, Norah Jones, Arcade Fire, Haim, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and CAA U.K. co-Head Mike Greek.

Peter Mensch and Red Hot Chili Pepper Chad Smith presented the gong to Banks who, as the first female exec to win, paid tribute to the network of women who supported her at the beginning of her career. She also nodded to her first employer, Wasted Talent’s Ian Flooks, Pretenders manager and “trailblazer” Gail Coulson, agent heroes the late Barbara Skydel and Marsha Vlasic, and all the other female talent in the room.

“Since being announced as the recipient of this award, I've realised how important today is for so many women,” Banks said. “I stand up here I hope as a representative of the many women in the industry who may not have had the opportunity or the inclination to make their voice heard as I have.

“I’ve always been a person that works in the music industry, I’m not defined by my sex, but I do want everyone in here to just look around the room, look at the people you’re sitting with, and acknowledge the incredibly talented and hardworking women in here who could all equally well be standing on this stage instead of me.”

Banks, who is the first agent to win the award, thanked her family, the artists and promoters she works with, and the “incredible team” at CAA, including Greek. She concluded: “I can’t tell you how proud I am to receive this award on behalf of all of you. This is 100% a team sport and I couldn’t do this without everyone that’s there.

“Mike Greek and I have worked together for the last 28 years, we’ve been together through some incredible highs and quite frankly some horrendous lows, but we’ve always been there for each other. He’s honest, trustworthy, reliable and kind. He is brilliant at his job and without him I really wouldn’t be here now.”

The night included an auction to raise money for charities the BRIT Trust and Nordoff Robbins and guests were plied with champers, roast lamb and chocolate mousse.

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