Next Gen 2011: Hollywood's Fastest-Rising Stars
As the top publicity executive at one of the town's busiest talent agencies, Muirhead, 33, walks several tightropes: He manages how WME and its 275 agents are portrayed in the often-ruthless industry press (THR included) and is the strategic voice for larger-than-life WME boss Ari Emanuel, whose profile extends far beyond Hollywood. Muirhead and his staff of 13 also plan the agency's lavish Emmys bash and put out daily media fires for hundreds of clients in outlets as diverse as Financial Times and TMZ. The married, Brussels-born father of a young girl spent his childhood in London, Toronto, Buffalo and Baltimore, courtesy of his father's job as a management specialist. "It taught me how to deal with different kinds of people," says Muirhead. After graduating from Boston University, he took an assistant gig in Warner Bros.' international PR department before joining William Morris in 2004 and thriving after its 2009 merger with Endeavor. He heads the philanthropic efforts of the agency's clients, including Usher's New Look Foundation. The agency also is involved with Foster Elementary School in Compton, Calif. Says Muirhead, "In the two and a half years we've been working with them, their test scores have gone up."
