Athletes and Entertainers

Let's talk legacy. Now's the time to make your mark.

Incredible financial opportunities come your way. Who can you trust to help you make the right decisions for you, your career and your legacy?

We have the expertise to help you avoid common missteps, so you can pursue what matters most today, tomorrow and for generations to come.

Introducing UBS Sports & Entertainment

Despite undisputed success in the sports and entertainment world, many pros still need guidance in the financial world. That’s why we have a team dedicated to providing exceptional advice and guidance to help agents, managers, owners, executives, and professionals see the big picture.

Exclusive insights

UBS x Billboard Music & Money Series

UBS partnered with Billboard to help increase awareness about the financial resources and opportunities available to all entertainers. Check out our Music & Money series where we discussed trends and topics top of mind to individuals in the music industry. 

Sherrese Clark Soares

UBS’ Wale Ogunleye sat down with Sherrese Clarke Soares to explore her role within the world of music finance as the founder & CEO of HarbourView Equity Partners.

Melissa Lilly

In this conversation with UBS Wealth Planning Strategist Melissa Lilly, Wale Ogunleye and Melissa discussed trends in the music industry, her role within the world of music finance, and how entertainers should factor a sale of their music rights into their financial plans.

Dana Droppo

Billboard’s Chief Brand Officer Dana Droppo interviewed Wale Ogunleye about his experience managing personal finances throughout his NFL career and how he transitioned to his role at UBS today.

Larry Mestel and Rob Levine

Primary Wave CEO/Founder Larry Mestel and Billboard Deputy Editorial Director Rob Levine talked with Wale Ogunleye about new technology in the market and how the music licensing market is changing.

Videos

    Playbooks

    Top 10 Money Lessons

    Valuable financial tips for every athlete or entertainer.

    Real Talk

    Questions you should be asking your financial advisor.

    Go for the win(PDF, 1 MB)

    Learn the fundamentals for developing a wealth strategy.

    A game plan for your goals

    Our approach can help you leave a legacy that matters.

    PlayersTV

    Level Up

    Level Up presented by UBS

    Watch some of sport’s most successful athletes share their stories on money and listen to our UBS FAs discuss the importance of being financially fit.

    E1: AJ Andrews (Pro softball) Why financial literacy matters

    E2: Malcolm Brogdon (NBA) The mental game of money

    E3: Sofia Huerta (NWSL) Money management 101

    E4: Aerial Powers (WNBA) Credit and debt: Understanding credit worthiness

    E5: Austin Ekeler (NFL) Navigating big decisions

    E6: Hunter Greene (MLB) The art of legacy: Establishing and prioritizing long-term goals

    E7: Michael Norman (Olympic Track) Taxes 101

    E8: Kristi Castlin (Olympic Track) Relationships and money

    E9: Georges Niang (NBA) Buying vs. renting

    E10: Adrianna Franch (NWSL) Preparing for financial emergencies

      Long Game

      Long Game presented by UBS

      Exploring the legacies—on and off the playing field—of some of the most decorated athletes in professional sports history.

      E1: Ken Griffey Jr.—Member, Baseball Hall of Fame; 13X All-Star; one of the greatest home run hitters in MLB history

      E2: Nneka Ogwumike—WNBA Champ and MVP, Los Angeles Sparks; President, WNBA Players Association

      E3: Andre Ward—Olympic Gold Medalist boxer; retired with 32-0 record; Sports Illustrated Fighter of the Decade, 2020

      E4: Tamika Catchings—NCAA National Champ; WNBA Champ; Olympic Gold Medalist and FIBA World Cup Champ

      E5: Isiah Thomas—Hall of Famer with Detroit Pistons; 2X NBA Champ; 12X NBA All-Star; NBA Finals MVP

      E6: Jackie Joyner-Kersee—3X Olympic Gold Medalist; first woman to win back-to-back Gold Medals in heptathlon

      E7: Jermaine O’Neal—6X NBA All-Star; youngest player to ever play NBA game; Executive Producer, Netflix’s Malice at the Palace

      E8: Damian Lillard—Portland Trail Blazer; 6X NBA All-Star; All-NBA First Team; Member, NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team

      E9: Cobi Jones—TV Sports Analyst; U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer; Member, 1992 U.S. Olympic Soccer Team

      E10: April Ross—3X Olympic Medalist; 2009 Beach Volleyball World Champion; 2X NCAA Champion

        Front Office season 2

        Front Office presented by UBS

        The world’s top athletes each hear pitches from two companies. Find out who’ll get the funding to take their business to the next level.

        E1: Mookie Betts—Los Angeles Dodger; 2X World Series Champ and MVP (October 25)

        E2: Renee Montgomery—NCAA National Champ; 2X WNBA Champ; part-owner of Atlanta Dream (November 1)

        E3: Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger—NJ/NY Gotham’s FC goalkeeper and defender; Women’s World Cup Champs (November 8)

        E4: Deron Williams—3X NBA All-Star; 2X Olympic Gold Medalist (November 15)

        E5: Thaddeus Young— Power forward for the Toronto Raptors; former 1st round NBA draft pick (November 22)

          Front Office season 1

          Front Office presented by UBS

          The world’s top athletes each hear pitches from two companies. Find out who’ll get the funding to take their business to the next level.

          E1: Travis Kelce—NFL Kansas City Chiefs tight end; Super Bowl 54 Champ

          E2: Michelle Wie West—LPGA Tour Golfer; 2014 US Women’s Open Winner

          E3: Vernon Davis—Retired NFL tight end; Super Bowl 50 winner; TV personality

          E4: Allyson Felix—Most decorated American Track and Field athlete of all time

          E5: Chris Paul—Phoenix Suns point guard; 2X Olympic Gold Medalist; President, NBA Players Association, 2013–2021

            Events

            Highlights from past events

            Hot 97 Summer Jam

            UBS was the official Wealth Management sponsor of HOT 97’s 2023 Summer Jam concert, and we’re proud to support the communities where we do business. Check out the conversations we had with legendary artists including LL Cool J, French Montana and Jadakiss to hear how they are realizing their dreams and forging lasting legacies throughout the music industry.

            Art Basel

            Let’s talk legacy – A conversation on the art and business of music

            During Art Basel Miami Beach 2023, the Athletes & Entertainers Segment hosted an engaging dinner and conversation with music industry icons Steve Rifkind and Kevin Liles. Moderated by UBS’ Wale Ogunleye, the conversation covered the evolution of the music industry, building an impactful business, and transitioning success and passion into purposeful giving.

            Christian McBride

            A conversation with Christian McBride

            Eight-time GRAMMY-winning bassist and composer Christian McBride shares his journey from Philadelphia jazz student to global music phenomenon—and how he is giving back to the world through his legacy.

            Financial lessons & importance of legacy

            In the first video, Christian sits down with Wale Ogunleye, Head of UBS Sports and Entertainment, to share the financial lessons he learned as a young artist, music rights in the jazz industry and the interconnectivity of music and civil rights.

            JAZZ HOUSE KiDS & Newport Jazz Festival

            In the second video, Christian speaks with Duane Hughes, Chair, UBS Americas Advisory Council, about his work with JAZZ HOUSE KiDS, the GRAMMYs, and the Newport Jazz Festival.

            Billboard

            Billboard Music & Money Dinner & Power 100 Events: Presented by UBS

            The UBS Athletes & Entertainers Strategic Client Segment was proud to partner with Billboard to host an exclusive pre-event dinner in addition to the annual Billboard Power 100 event. Attendees at these events included the top players in the industry, many of whom have led nine-figure music publishing deals for GRAMMY award-winning icons.

            Michelle Williams

            Breaking through

            Former Destiny’s Child singer and Grammy Award-winning megastar Michelle Williams talks about overcoming mental health challenges to gain clarity across every aspect of her life.

            Hear some of the powerful and personal insights revealed in her new book, Checking In.

            Her story could help you or someone you know.

            Laura Dern

              Touching audiences, changing Hollywood with Laura Dern

              Oscar Award-winning actor and producer Laura Dern shares how her fight for equal pay is breaking the glass ceiling in Hollywood, and how she talks money with her daughter.

              Allyson Felix

              Stronger voices

              Allyson Felix, the most decorated woman in Olympic Track and Field history, shares her personal story on why women need to make their voices heard to champion their financial value in sports, work and life.

              Wanda Durant

              The MVP of giving back

              Wanda Durant is more than the mother of NBA superstar Kevin Durant. She is a superstar of paying it forward. Drawing on the lessons she learned from her mother, she tells the story of how she’s helping young people find a path forward to success.

              Star power, staying power

              How you manage your wealth has far-reaching effects. In our special white paper, 16 athletes and entertainers share their stories. Some were unprepared for the responsibilities that come with wealth. Others developed a steadfast plan from the start. All eventually went on to great financial success. The common thread? Find the right advisor, get involved and stay involved. Take a look. The lessons these athletes and entertainers learned could be helpful as you navigate your own journey with money.

              Entertainers

              Chamillionaire

              Renowned rapper on overnight success and embracing your entrepreneurial side. “I got into investing by learning," he says.
              Read more.

              Rico Love

              The songwriter and producer openly shares his early missteps to help others.
              Read more.

              Ray Romulus

              This artist explains how costly lessons learned years ago keeps him engaged with the investing process today.
              Read more.

              Michelle Williams

              The Destiny's Child performer talks record contracts and women's empowerment.
              Read more.

              Kamal Gray

              Hear how this GRAMMY® Award winner realized he needed a new money mindset and approach.
              Read more.

              Otis Redding's family

              Heirs have preserved Otis’s legacy for three generations. They tell us now how they did it.
              Read more.

              Joshua Schwartz

              The creator behind the Gossip Girl TV series discusses how managing money well preserves creative freedom.
              Read more.

              Athletes

              Brendon Ayanbadejo

              The Super Bowl XLVII champion explains how to make money outlast playing years.
              Read more.

              Rushia Brown

              The WNBA pioneer says learning about wealth management is key to having checks and balances on your money.
              Read more.

              Norris Cole

              The two-time NBA champion doesn’t invest for the sake of investing. He knows where his money is and what it’s doing.
              Read more.

              Mason Plumlee

              The Detroit Pistons center reveals how he picked up his money management approach at an internship in college and continues to use it today.
              Read more.

              Osi Umenyiora

              Former pro defensive end teaches family and friends how to be responsible with money.
              Read more.

              Robert Bailey

              The challenges of managing wealth at a tender age, from a Super Bowl champ.
              Read more.

              Ben Coates

              Super Bowl champ and New England Patriots star Ben Coates walks through some common mistakes high earners can make.
              Read more.

              Edgerrin James

              The rookie who shaped his first NFL contract shows you can negotiate with your own approach.
              Read more.

              Sage Rosenfels

              Former pro quarterback says it's never too early to think about post-career opportunities.
              Read more.

              Athletes & Entertainers Consultants

              Financial advisors dedicated to serving the sports & entertainment space

              Overview

              Our Athletes & Entertainers Consultants are a select group of UBS Financial Advisors who are accredited and designated to serve athletes, entertainers and those in their ecosystem. Their experience, knowledge and training equip them to provide solid financial advice to help these individuals plan for their legacy.

              Wale Ogunleye

              Head, Sports & Entertainment
              Managing Director
              Wealth Management USA
              Team contact number: 201-352-7766

               

              Meet the team

              Jaclyn Bellino

              Project Manager, Athletes & Entertainers Client Segment

              Pjay Togunde

              Business Strategist, Athletes & Entertainers Client Segment

              A-E

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Michael Bober

              Financial Advisor

              Richard Curtis

              Financial Advisor

              Peter Borowsky

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Erik Dahlquist

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Jesse Bull

              Financial Advisor

              Sherry Dewane

              Financial Advisor

              Michael Carr

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Craig Dunton

              F-J

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Todd Feiereisen

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Wendy Holmes

              Financial Advisor

              Drew Freides

              Financial Advisor

              Matthew Johnson

              Financial Advisor

              Ken Gunsberger

              Private Wealth Advisor

              John Halperin

              K-O

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Jason Katz

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Andrew Megee

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Dan Kilmurray

              Financial Advisor

              Joseph Lembeck

              Financial Advisor

              Thomas Madigan

              P-S

              Financial Advisor

              Michael Poppo

              Private Wealth Advisor

              David Schachter

              Financial Advisor

              Barry Porter

              Private Wealth Advisor

              David Selig

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Peter Rukeyser

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Ryan Shuler

              Financial Advisor

              Alex Santos

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Michael Singh

              T-Z

              Financial Advisor

              Ruben Torres

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Troy Wiebler

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Alex Williams

              Private Wealth Advisor

              Eric Wittenberg

              Get in touch

              Together, we can help you pursue what’s important