William Morris Endeavor Entertainment Announces Appointment of Peter Klein as Chief Financial Officer

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Dec. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- William Morris Endeavor Entertainment (WME), one of the world's leading talent, entertainment and media companies, today announced the appointment of Peter Klein as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately.  In this role, Mr. Klein will oversee the global finance operation across WME, and IMG Worldwide (IMG) upon transaction close, and will report to the co-CEOs of WME, Patrick Whitesell and Ariel Emanuel. 

"Peter's impressive track record and international experience will be a tremendous asset as we begin a new and exciting chapter in our company's history," said Patrick Whitesell and Ariel Emanuel, co-CEOs of WME.  "Peter's proven ability to structure and manage teams on a global scale, and bring rigor and organizational effectiveness to businesses large and small, will help to strengthen both WME and IMG.  We are pleased to welcome him to our senior team."

Mr. Klein spent 11 years at Microsoft Corporation, where he most recently served as the company's CFO from November 2009 to June 2013.  Prior to becoming CFO at the corporate level, he was CFO of the Server and Tools Division and CFO of the Microsoft Business Division.  Before joining Microsoft, Mr. Klein spent 13 years in corporate finance at high-growth companies including McCaw Cellular Communications, Orca Bay Capital and Homegrocer.com.  Mr. Klein has a B.A. from Yale University and an M.B.A. from the University of Washington.

On December 18, 2013, WME and its strategic partner Silver Lake, a global leader in technology investing, announced an agreement to acquire IMG, a leading international sports, fashion and media business.  IMG and WME together will operate across the entire sports and entertainment ecosystem, including talent representation, college and professional sports, live events, film and television, fashion and media.

"I am thrilled to be joining Ari, Patrick and the teams at WME and IMG at such an important time," said Mr. Klein.  "The combination of WME and IMG creates a unique global platform in sports and entertainment, with tremendous growth potential.  With Silver Lake as our strategic partner, I look forward to applying my experience and helping to ensure the business is well-positioned to capitalize on growth opportunities."

About William Morris Endeavor Entertainment

WME is a leading entertainment and media company with an unparalleled client list of artists and content creators across film, television, music, literature, theatre and digital media.  Led by an experienced and innovative management team, WME was formed by the 2009 merger of the William Morris Agency and Endeavor. The company has over 1,000 employees and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, with offices in New York, Nashville, London and Miami.  Through its partner companies, including award-winning global creative agency Droga5, WME also provides clients with unique advertising, brand integration and marketing opportunities across traditional, social media, mobile and gaming platforms.

WME
Christian Muirhead                                                                                          
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SOURCE William Morris Endeavor Entertainment