Apr 9, 2025
Sugar23 Hires James Crane As Director Of Business Development
Preeminent management and production company Sugar23 has hired James Crane as Director of Business Development.
“The addition of James Crane reemphasizes Sugar23’s mission to foster deep relationships with brands and support their goals of creating meaningful, original content for broad audience consumption,” said the company’s founder, Michael Sugar. “We’re thrilled to have him on board as we navigate new and exciting partnerships in the year ahead.”
As alluded to by Sugar, Crane’s new role will see him support Sugar23’s expanding presence in the brands space through strategic networking to identify growth opportunities and partnerships. The company has recently leaned in hard toward the branded space and has experienced significant growth in the last year, with the launch of multiple brand-centric studios, as well as the The Way Upfront, an exclusive summit for brand marketers featuring early-stage entertainment projects, presented by A-List producers and talent.
Prior to Sugar23, Crane was a talent agent for nearly six years at Buchwald, working across talent representation, sports and branding. During his time there, he played a key role in the launch and growth of Buchwald Sports, repping a mix of high-profile individuals and organizations, including Jay Cutler, Victoria Arlen (ESPN), Channing Crowder, and WWE Superstar Big E. Additionally, he collaborated with local tourism boards, such as the City of Binghamton, to develop partner relations and increase national visibility.
“I have long admired the groundbreaking work of the team at Sugar23,” said Crane. “Their innovation continues to set new industry standards, especially for brands aiming to create premium entertainment. I am excited to join such a forward-thinking company and look forward to contributing to their continued success.”
Founded in 2017, Sugar23’s recent exploits in the branded space include partnerships with the likes of Starbucks (on Starbucks Studios) and Fifth Season. With dozens of active film and television projects in development, the company’s resume includes such award-winning projects as Spotlight, The Knick, The OA, Maniac, 13 Reasons Why, I Am the Night, and The Turning Point on MSNBC, among others.