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Natalie Jerome has left Aevitas Creative Management (ACM) after two years to join Curtis Brown as a literary agent.
She will continue to be based in Newport, Wales, and began work at Curtis Brown on 1st September.
Jerome has been an independent agent with Aevitas since 2019, with clients including Lenny Henry and David Harewood, and she was shortlisted for Literary Agent of the Year at the British Book Awards 2021. Previously she worked at a senior commissioning level at publishers including Ebury, Pan Macmillan, HarperCollins and Bonnier.
Jerome was one of the few Black publishers in the UK and is deputy chair of Literature Wales alongside being a founding trustee and board member for Creative Access, a mentoring and graduate trainee scheme for Black and minority ethnic candidates looking for paid internships across the media sector.
“I'm honoured and absolutely delighted to be invited to join the books team at Curtis Brown,” Jerome said. “With such a long and esteemed history, a roll call of the finest writers ever published and a hugely talented and respected team of literary agents, Curtis Brown is without doubt the best in the business and I feel hugely privileged to take this next step in my career with Gordon, Jonny and team. The first 18 months of my life [as a literary agent] in Wales have been just extraordinary and I couldn't have established myself so quickly without the brilliant support of Toby Mundy and the team at ACM along with the incredible authors who have joined me for this ride."
She added: "I'm looking forward to seeing what more we can achieve together from my office in my house in Newport.”
Gordon Wise, joint m.d. of books at Curtis Brown, commented: “A number of us at CB have worked with and had projects with Natalie. I myself have known her for over 20 years; first, when she joined my team as an editor at Macmillan, then selling books to her when I became an agent.
“Her work as agent has evidenced her skills in combining significant deal-making, razor-sharp talent-spotting and market awareness, and a commitment to editorial development. Besides her rapidly-growing client list, she’ll be bringing her bags of creative energy with her as well as a commitment for publishing for a wide range of readers, and new voices in fiction and non-fiction.”
Jonny Geller, c.e.o. of The Curtis Brown Group, said: “Natalie was a brilliant publisher and quickly turned her prodigious skills to agenting where she signed incredible authors in just 18 months. We can’t wait for her to launch a new generation of talent using everything that Curtis Brown can offer. She has already proved an important voice in the industry, advocating urgent change whilst leading by example. We can’t wait to welcome her and her wonderful authors.”