The entertainment industry’s most influential financial architects are set to take center stage this week as The Hollywood Reporter (THR) prepares to release its 2026 Power Business Managers list. This annual editorial feature serves as a definitive guide to the individuals who manage the wealth, legal compliance, and strategic growth of the world’s most prominent creative talent. To commemorate the release, THR will host an exclusive, invitation-only breakfast on October 21 at Wolfgang Puck’s iconic Spago in Beverly Hills, bringing together the financiers, legal minds, and studio executives who serve as the structural foundation of the global entertainment ecosystem.
Honoring a Legacy of Financial Stewardship
The highlight of this year’s ceremony will be the presentation of the Business Manager Icon award to Michael Ullman, the CEO and founder of Platinum Financial Management Inc. The honor will be bestowed by legendary boxer and longtime client Sugar Ray Leonard, underscoring the deep, multi-decade partnerships that define this sector of the industry.
Ullman’s career, which spans more than 35 years, reflects the evolution of the business manager role from simple bookkeeping to complex wealth management and strategic brand building. Founded in 2003, Platinum Financial Management began with a vision to marry high-level institutional financial expertise with the bespoke, high-touch service required by elite entertainers. Today, the firm oversees a team of 35 professionals and represents a roster of high-net-worth individuals that includes Jennifer Aniston, Miles Teller, Brooke Shields, Julie Bowen, Chrissy Metz, and Linda Cardellini. Ullman’s reputation for extreme discretion and acute financial acumen has made him a pillar of the Hollywood financial community.
Navigating the Modern Entertainment Landscape
The October 21 event is designed to move beyond mere celebration, offering a high-level forum for discussing the shifting economic pressures facing the entertainment sector. The program features a keynote Q&A session with United Talent Agency (UTA) CEO David Kramer, moderated by THR editor-in-chief Maer Roshan. Kramer, who oversees the global strategic operations of one of the world’s largest talent agencies, is expected to address the ongoing consolidation of media companies and the changing nature of talent representation in the digital age.
Following the keynote, the event will host a fireside chat with Lisa Callif, a founding partner at the boutique law firm Donaldson Callif Perez. In conversation with THR business and legal writer Winston Cho, Callif will provide insights into the complex world of rights acquisition and distribution. As a co-author of the industry-standard textbook Clearance & Copyright, Callif is uniquely positioned to discuss the legal hurdles involved in modern content production. Her expertise covers the spectrum from negotiating distribution deals with global platforms like Netflix and Apple to managing the development and clearance needs for prestige production houses, including Artists Equity and the Safdie Brothers’ Elara.
Historical Context and Evolution of the Event
The Power Business Managers breakfast has become a barometer for the health of the industry’s back-office infrastructure. By highlighting the people behind the scenes, THR acknowledges that the creative output of Hollywood is inextricably linked to the financial stability of its stars and producers.
In previous iterations, the event has served as a platform for addressing industry-wide anxieties. Last year’s gathering at CUT Beverly Hills, for instance, focused heavily on the emergence of artificial intelligence and its legal ramifications, featuring a keynote by founding partner Linda Lichter. The 2025 celebration also saw Uzo Aduba present the Business Manager Icon award to Anna DerParseghian of PTD Business Management, signaling a continued commitment to recognizing both legacy firms and rising power players.
Institutional Support and Industry Partnerships
The sustainability of this event is bolstered by long-standing institutional partners who understand the essential role of the business manager. City National Bank, which has maintained a dominant presence in the entertainment industry for over seven decades, returns as the presenting sponsor.
"Great business managers give creative talent the freedom to take risks and focus on their work," noted JaHan Wang, head of Entertainment & Sports Banking at City National Bank. "We are honored to return as the presenting sponsor of the Power Business Managers event, recognizing the people who keep the business of entertainment running."
Venable LLP also returns as a sponsor, contributing its expertise in navigating the increasingly litigious and complex legal landscape of modern media. With a presence in Los Angeles for over 20 years, the firm provides services that span intellectual property litigation, corporate tax structuring, and private wealth planning—all of which have become essential pillars for the modern celebrity-entrepreneur.
Implications for the Future of Wealth Management
The role of the business manager has become more critical as the line between celebrity and entrepreneur continues to blur. Today’s stars are not merely employees of studios; they are often the CEOs of their own production companies, fashion lines, and venture capital portfolios. Consequently, the business manager must possess a skill set that includes corporate governance, tax law, cybersecurity, and global market analysis.
Data from the sector suggests that as production costs rise and revenue streams fragment across streaming and traditional media, the need for centralized, sophisticated financial oversight has never been greater. The individuals profiled in the 2026 THR list are tasked with mitigating the volatility inherent in the entertainment industry. Whether it is managing the intellectual property rights for a legacy actor or optimizing the capital structure for a high-budget production, these managers are the ones who ensure that creative capital remains liquid and protected.
A Chronology of Influence
The release of the list in the October 21 issue of THR marks the culmination of months of research, interviews, and market analysis conducted by the publication’s editorial team. The process of selecting these honorees involves evaluating the scale of assets under management, the complexity of client portfolios, and the individual’s impact on the broader economic landscape of the entertainment industry.
As the industry prepares to digest the contents of the 2026 report, the consensus remains clear: while the talent on screen garners the public’s attention, the power dynamics of the industry are increasingly defined by those who manage the capital. The upcoming breakfast at Spago serves as both a networking hub for the industry’s elite and a necessary reflection on the professional standards that maintain the integrity of Hollywood’s financial engine.
Analyzing the Industry Shift
The professionalization of the business management role is expected to continue as the industry navigates a period of significant technological and economic transition. With AI-driven content generation, shifts in residual models, and the globalization of talent, the traditional business management model is being forced to adapt. The insights provided by figures like David Kramer and Lisa Callif during the event will likely provide a roadmap for how the industry intends to handle these disruptions in the coming fiscal year.
Ultimately, the Power Business Managers list serves as more than just a roll call of the wealthy; it is a document of influence. It maps out who is currently managing the assets that fuel the creative economy, highlighting the individuals who act as the final line of defense for creative talent in an increasingly volatile global market. As the industry looks toward 2026, the guidance and strategic planning provided by these managers will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in determining which creative ventures succeed and which fail, reinforcing their position as the true power brokers of the entertainment capital.
