not, however, relinquished his base. Massenburg’s beverage company regularly sponsors his music events. As CEO of Kedar Entertainment Group, this year he entered a 50/50 partnership with R&B artist Joe, in which the two will share all profits and rights of his recordings, including the masters–an unprecedented model for independent artists and recording labels, creating an environment where artists and execs can profit equally. This year Joe’s CD, Ain’t Nothin’ Like Me, debuted at No. 8 on Billboard’s Top 200, the highest debut for an independent artist in the history of the chart.
The Dealmaker
Quintin E. Primo III CEO of Capri Capital Partners L.L.C.
Primo likes cycling, swimming and reading. But when he’s not enjoying his favorite pastimes, he’s putting together multibillion-dollar real estate deals.
With housing values in the U.S. declining and the subprime mortgage crisis making banks gun-shy about extending loans and credit, real estate investment opportunities are perhaps fewer and further between than ever. Primo, however, was already doing what any true entrepreneur would do–looking for deals overseas.
The result: The CEO of Chicago-based Capri Capital Partners L.L.C. (No. 4 on the BE ASSET MANAGERS list with $5.3 billion in assets under management) recently inked a $2 billion deal to develop part of the central business district in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. Capri’s project will feature two 1 million-square-foot office towers, two five-star hotels, a retail mall, a pair of residential condominium projects, and a convention center.
Primo is also eyeing locales in Africa, such as Libya, which offers extraordinary weather and beaches on the Mediterranean, he says. Near Egypt and Morocco, Libya is not as commercially viable as its neighbors, which Primo believes makes it a ripe location for investment projects and capital.
Being a person of color creates a benefit in developing relationships with people on the continent and in the Middle East. “Invariably,†he says, “in approaching the market I find myself sitting across the table from people who look just like me.â€
TheSprinter
Kimberly N. Holland, CEO of Icon Management Inc.
At most sporting events, she’s often mistaken for a publicist, family member, or a girlfriend, but Holland, president and CEO of sports company Icon Management Inc., has never let stereotypical perceptions derail her ambitions. Originally from Washington, D.C., she earned a juris doctorate from Regent University School of Law in May 2002, and served as a legislative foreign policy assistant to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and as a paralegal at LaFace Records. In 2000 she seized an opportunity to manage career negotiations for Olympian Terrence Trammell, and eventually realized her potential as a sports agent. The prospect of becoming a formidable player in the field was amplified at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Among Holland’s roster of athletes, five brought home medals–eight in track and field–double what she amassed at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Such revenue has increased her negotiation power. Before the 2008 games an athlete, appearance may have netted a $5,000—$10,000 fee. She can now command between $30,000 and $40,000 for an Olympic athlete. Holland