WME promotes Richard Weitz and Christian Muirhead as co-chairs –

WME is strengthening its leadership positions by promoting two long-time executives to jointly oversee the talent agency and its management business.

The Beverly Hills-based company has named Richard Weitz and Christian Muirhead as co-chairs, replacing Lloyd Brown, the agency said Thursday. Brown, a veteran entertainment executive who joined Endeavor, the parent company of WME’s Ari Emanuel, in 2019 to oversee its representation efforts, is leaving later in the year.

“I want to thank Lloyd for his leadership over the past three years, guiding WME through the pandemic and putting the agency on track for its best financial year yet,” said Endeavor President Mark Shapiro. “Lloyd left an indelible mark on the WME and laid a solid foundation for the future.”

Ari Greenburg, who was named president of the WME in December 2018 and was one of the agency’s first partners, will continue in that role and will report to Muirhead and Weitz.

Weitz has been a partner since 2002 as co-chairman and joined the agency 25 years ago in 1997. The executive has held positions and key clients (Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais, Julianne Hough and Dan Levy, among many others) at WME and led the of the agency’s TV packaging. And at the height of the pandemic, he raised millions for charity through his virtual “quarantine” events.

“WME is my home and I’m excited to continue its century-long story and help set the course for the next 100 years,” said Weitz. “For over 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most talented artists, agents and executives in the industry. I am excited to have this incredible opportunity to expand these relationships and bring in new ones, working with Ari Greenburg, Dan Limerick and the entire management team to create additional value for our customers.”

Meanwhile, Muirhead is moving back from Endeavor Corporation to the talent agency after serving as director of communications for the combined sports and entertainment company since 2014. In 2019, he canceled a previous IPO attempt. Muirhead joined WME in 2004 and served as the agency’s chief commissioner four years later.

“Since starting my journey at WME, I’ve had a front-row seat to see the evolution of the entertainment business and the growing influence of talent in shaping it,” said Mirhead. “I look forward to leveraging the full scale and depth of the Endeavor network on behalf of our customers, making connections and creating opportunities to help them build industry-leading brands and businesses.”

Braun, who served as president of WME and president of Endeavor Client Group, joined the company three years ago when he invested in Whalerock Industries, a digital media company he originally founded as BermanBraun before rebranding in 2014. ABC Entertainment from 1999 to 2004.

Endeavor’s entertainment segment, which includes WME, reported $358 million in revenue in its last fiscal quarter ended June 30, up 9% year-over-year as live events and tours rebound from a downturn. of the COVID era. “At WME on Broadway, comedy shows, festivals and tours, which are slowly recovering, have resumed,” Emanuel noted on the Aug. 12 earnings call. “We’ve already booked over 30,000 tour dates this year, 85% of our typical annual total, and our customers represent more than half of US music festival headliners.”

Emanuel also highlighted the summer’s blockbusters with “significant presence of WME customers”, including talent. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, jurassic world domain, Elvis and an animated sequel lackeys.

Since the first day of trading this year, Endeavor shares are down 29 percent to $24.55 on Sept.