Biz news: Jasper Parrott bows out of the biz, still having it both ways
NewsThe London-based HarrisonParrott agency has been sold overnight to its staff, with strings attached.
Jasper Parrott, who co-founded the agency in 1969 with the late Terry Harrison, has sold what is described vaguely as ‘a large proportion of his majority stake’ to a trust representing its employees. His family will retain a minority holding and he will hand over the day-to-day running of the agency to his daughter Moema Parrott, who has worked there for 11 years.
Jasper Parrott, however, will remain executive chairman. He is 79 and his voice will still be heard.
Parrott said he had looked at an outside buyer, after AskonasHolt and Opus3 were sold to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In the end, though, he preferred to reward his staunch employees. As of today, there are 89 members of staff with a share in the company.
Pictured: Parrott with former lieutenant Tugze Tez
And so another who started with the redoubtable but rooted in an older tradition, Emmie Tillett, steps back. Even as far back as the early 1960s Christopher Hunt had become infuriated at her lack of any desire to reform the agency. He soon left to form his own agency, as Jasper and Terry were later to do. I wonder how many who started their careers in Wigmore Street only to give up – like the late and much missed Robert Rattray? No doubt decline and inevitable end of what had once been Britain’s largest agency with virtual control over much of the nation’s musical life was already on the cards.
Wishing Jasper Parrott a more relaxing time as he eases out of his present position.
The exode has started already.
“His family will retain a minority holding and he will hand over the day-to-day running of the agency to his daughter Moema Parrott”
Nothing to add up.
Harry Parry. Aka The Birdsong Boys
Parrot probably is not “having it both ways.” It is quite common for a retiring founder or long-time CEO to take a mainly ceremonial title for a time after turning over the real work to someone else.
Employee Owned Trusts are a very savvy move to avoid capital gains tax.
I always find it a bit disingenuous when small/medium business owners dress these kinds of maneuvers up as something being done for their employees. At this level, staff are unlikely to see any substantive benefit, and the company is immediately saddled with the debt from buying back the owners’ shares.
Can’t say I’m unhappy to hear this. Having listened to orchestral planning colleagues over the years tell me how pushy Jasper Parrott has been to work with and experiencing it myself on one occasion, his retirement suits us all.
Don’t know what his daughter will bring to the table but hopefully there’s merit to be found behind the nepotism.
Congratulations to Jasper. He has had a great career and I wish him well in his next chapter in life.
May he burn in Hell,
he’s put many people out of business because of his decades old monopolisation of the markets, from Finnish Kymi to Bogotá in Colombia…
Intermusica!
Time to steal his gem and bring him with mother wife Yuja. Together on the podium, together in the business.
Chicago Symphony is already waiting 2027….
Good riddance to an inappropriately imperious, pompous ass.