Richard Weitz & Christian Muirhead Named WME Co-Chairmen As Lloyd Braun Is Stepping Down – Deadline

Richard Weitz and Christian Muirhead have been upped to co-chairmen of Endeavor’s WME expertise company, succeeding Lloyd Braun who will step down as chairman on the finish of 2022. Each are company veterans, having come from the 2 businesses that shaped WME, Endeavor (Weitz) and WMA (Muirhead), and in addition come from completely different backgrounds, agenting and company communications. Ari Greenburg stays WME president and can now report back to Weitz an Muirhead.

“I wish to thank Lloyd for his management over these previous three years, navigating WME by means of the pandemic and setting the company on track for its greatest monetary yr on report,” mentioned Mark Shapiro, President, Endeavor. “Lloyd has left an indelible mark on WME and laid a powerful basis for the long run.”

Continued Shapiro: “The appointment of Richard and Christian marks a very transformative day for WME, which continues to be the inspirational core of Endeavor. I’ve seen first-hand their innate potential to steer, to construct significant relationships, and to leverage the broader Endeavor community in service to our shoppers’ aspirations. Coupled with their deep understanding of the leisure panorama, I can say with certainty that there aren’t any higher or extra complementary people to now lead the company.”

Weitz, a WME Accomplice and chief inside its scripted tv division, represents a wide selection of actors, comedians, musicians, writers, producers, and administrators. He first joined the Endeavor expertise company (which might evolve into the current-day WME) in 1997. He was promoted to Accomplice in 2002 when he was additionally named head of the company’s tv packaging division. Previous to Endeavor, Weitz frolicked at InterTalent Company and ICM the place he met Ariel Emanuel and Rick Rosen with whom he would play a vital position in shaping Endeavor in its early years. An lively philanthropist, Weitz created a fundraising platform, ‘RWQuarantunes,’ which might go on to boost greater than $35 million over two years for COVID-19 associated causes and lots of different well being and social justice organizations in want.

“WME is residence to me, and I’m thrilled to hold on its century-long historical past and assist set the course for its subsequent 100 years,” Weitz mentioned. “I’ve had the privilege of working with a few of the most gifted artists, brokers, and {industry} executives for over 25 years. I’m humbled to have this unbelievable alternative to increase on these relationships and introduce new ones, whereas working with Ari Greenburg, Dan Limerick, and your complete administration crew to create additional worth for our shoppers.”

Muirhead, in the meantime, has been with the corporate for 18 years and has served as Endeavor’s Chief Communications Officer (CCO) since 2014. He first joined the William Morris Company in 2004 and was named its communications lead in 2008. Following its merger with the Endeavor expertise company in 2009, Muirhead turned WME’s Head of Communications and was instrumental within the integration of the 2 businesses. Muirhead was shortly thereafter named a WME Accomplice. He beforehand labored in worldwide publicity at Warner Bros. Photos.

As Endeavor’s CCO, starting with WME’s acquisition of IMG in 2014, Muirhead has orchestrated the communications technique for greater than 30 acquisitions and new enterprise launches. He performed an integral position in Endeavor’s public readiness challenge resulting in its IPO in 2021, and has led a world communications crew supporting subsidiaries together with WME, UFC, and IMG, in addition to teams specializing in company advertising and marketing and branding, occasions and hospitality, social media, and artistic design. Moreover, Muirhead co-runs Endeavor’s authorities relations follow and oversees its social affect efforts. He additionally leads the corporate’s structure crew, whose remit is to leverage the collective energy of the Endeavor community to unlock worth for its shoppers and owned property.

“Having began my journey at WME, I’ve had a entrance row seat to the evolution of the leisure enterprise and the rising affect of expertise in shaping it,” mentioned Muirhead. “I sit up for leveraging the complete scale and depth of Endeavor’s community on our shoppers’ behalf, forging connections and creating alternatives to assist them construct industry-leading manufacturers and companies.”