Veteran agent goes out to grass

Askonas Holt have announced the retirement of Jilly Clarke, one of the most courteous and hardest -working agents in the biz. Jilly is to be replaced on the AH board by Andras Schiff’s manager, Gaetan Le Divelec. She may have picked a good moment; two of her key pianists are heading off on sabbatical.

Press release follows.

Askonas Holt today announced that Jilly Clarke will retire from the company and that Gaetan Le Divelec will succeed her on the company’s Board of Directors. Since joining Harold Holt in 1989 as Martin Campbell-White’s assistant (prior to Harold Holt’s merger with Lies Askonas in 1998, to form Askonas Holt Ltd), Jilly has become a highly regarded manager to some of the company’s leading talent, including Piotr Anderszewski, Evgeny Kissin and Viktoria Mullova.

A passionate supporter of young talent, Jilly’s current roster also includes Jonathan Biss, Vilde Frang, Alexander Gavrylyuk, the Heath Quartet, Yevgeny Sudbin and Alisa Weilerstein. Jilly commented:

“I have loved every moment of working for Askonas Holt and having the privilege of working with some of the greatest artists of our time. I have enjoyed partnering with each and every one of them as their careers develop. I arrived at Harold Holt thinking I’d just be there for a few months, but one of my earliest jobs was involved with the planning of the 1991 Japan Festival, which saw the first ever Sumo tournament take place outside of Japan – I was hooked! I leave the company in great shape under Donagh Collins’ leadership and I’m particularly thrilled that Gaetan will be taking my place on the company’s board. I’ll miss everyone, but my garden and other adventures await.”