Melissa Ritchie
CEO and Founder
Mel, an accomplished influencer herself, founded 86 Talent in 2022, building on her success in training and coaching influencers since 2020. Under her leadership, 86 Talent has rapidly gained recognition, winning the Best New Agency award in 2024 and achieving remarkable growth with year-on-year turnover doubling annually.
Through her experiences helping influencers expand and monetise their social media presence, Mel identified a significant gap in the market. She noticed that many influencers lacked both the confidence and understanding needed to negotiate effectively with brands, often finding the process daunting and there was huge imbalance in negotiating power when it came to contracts. Furthermore, there was no agency specialising in supporting influencers who had not yet attained huge follower counts, but still had incredible potential, particularly in an industry that relies heavily on authenticity and engaged communities, which micro to mid-tier influencers tend to have in spades! To address these needs, Mel established 86 Talent to empower influencers, guiding them to develop strong online brands, grow engaged communities and monetise their efforts successfully.
86 Talent is committed to setting industry standards by partnering with influencers who value integrity and community. Mel’s unwavering dedication to professionalism ensures seamless brand collaborations that deliver high-quality results for brands and fair compensation for influencers.
Sarah Peasant
Talent Director
Sarah joined 86 Talent at the beginning of 2023 and has quickly established herself as our invaluable talent director. Her extensive background in the media industry equips her perfectly to head up our team of talent managers and her unwavering commitment to business development has been instrumental in helping the agency grow into a standout player in the influencer marketing landscape.
With a dedication to nurturing brand relationships, Sarah creates a supportive, positive and nurturing environment for our influencers. She expertly coordinates collaborations, always taking a pragmatic and practical approach to ensure optimal outcomes for both our brand clients and influencers.
Known for her forward-thinking mindset and problem-solving skills, Sarah consistently goes the extra mile for our clients. Her passion for our influencers’ success is evident in everything she does, making her a dream to work with for brands. By taking the stress out of campaign management, Sarah has forged strong, long-term relationships with brands and agencies and she never hesitates to provide additional support whenever needed.
Sarah’s exceptional work ethic and dedication make her an essential part of The 86 Team.
Emma Hartridge
Senior Talent Manager
With over seven years of experience in the creator industry across both the UK and US markets, Emma is a passionate and strategic Talent Manager dedicated to fostering meaningful partnerships between creators and brands. Emma has previously headed up the US division at another talent agency.
Emma possesses a robust background in negotiation, campaign management and brand strategy, coupled with a profound understanding of the creator economy and the evolving role that influencers play in contemporary marketing. Throughout her career, she has had the privilege of collaborating with leading brands across a diverse range of sectors, including fashion, beauty, tech, interiors and travel, among others.
Driven by a genuine passion for supporting creators in their growth, Emma excels in helping them navigate opportunities and ensuring that every collaboration is perfectly aligned for both brand and talent. Emma is our Influencer Strategy Lead and oversees influencer development.
Whether working with renowned names or emerging brands, Emma’s goal remains consistent: to deliver authentic, results-driven partnerships that make a significant impact.
Emily Young
Talent Manager
Emily is a passionate and much loved talent manager at 86 Talent.
Since joining just over a year ago, she has quickly risen through the ranks from Junior Talent Manager to her current position. Emily meticulously handles the day-to-day administration of our campaigns, ensuring that influencers are regularly updated on their progress and actively maintaining relationships with brand contacts to create exciting new opportunities for our roster.
In addition to her role at the agency, Emily is also a successful influencer, drawing on her seven years of experience as a content creator to enhance her work at 86 Talent.
With a keen understanding of what a successful campaign looks like for a brand, Emily approaches every project with joy, friendliness and an unwavering work ethic. She is known for championing others and fostering meaningful connections, thriving on helping clients succeed and crafting opportunities that truly resonate.
Her speed and efficiency in communication make her a trusted partner for both influencers and brands, ensuring seamless collaboration at every turn.
Mariella Cunningham
Talent Manager
Mariella joined 86 Talent with a strong background in influencer marketing, PR and talent management and has already worked with over 30 consumer brands throughout her career. She’s quickly becoming a driving force behind our campaign success across lifestyle, fashion and beauty as we continue to grow as an agency. Based in Manchester, Mariella will help lead our growth across the North of England, mindful that London tends to take centre stage otherwise!
With a sharp eye for talent and a knack for crafting standout campaigns, Mariella brings a strategic mindset to every project—leading end-to-end influencer activations and expertly matching creators with brands to deliver high-impact results.
Her collaborative spirit and deep understanding of digital culture make her a trusted partner to both influencers and clients. Known for her creativity, outstanding work ethic, professionalism and attention to detail, Mariella manages campaigns with care, clarity, and precision.
A true team player, Mariella’s passion and dedication shine through in everything she does, making her an essential part of our growing team.
Ruby Kenwright
Junior Talent Manager
Based in the creative heart of Manchester, Ruby is a dynamic Junior Talent Manager with a sharp eye for trends and a deep understanding of both the FMCG and B2B landscapes. With a previous background at a PR Agency as a Senior Social Media Executive, Ruby is strong at crafting content strategies and driving engagement and has worked across diverse industries, bringing brands to life through social-first storytelling.
Ruby collaborates closely with leading and emerging influencers, connecting them with brands in the DIY, home, interiors, fashion and beauty spaces. Her intuitive approach to brand-talent partnerships and her ability to spot opportunities others miss have made her a go-to for impactful collaborations.
Always up for a coffee and a good brainstorming session, Ruby thrives on building genuine relationships, whether with brands, clients or creators and thrives on securing exciting opportunities for the roster. Ruby loves to chat big ideas, ambitious plans, and how to bring them to life both online and in real life.
Ruby has big plans to drive 86 Talent’s presence in the North along with the rest of the team, through networking, client meetings and event hosting fun events for our talent.