WME Partner Lisa Harrison Exiting Agency Business

After 16 years at WME as a scripted television agent, Lisa Harrison has decided to leave the agency business.

Currently a WME partner focused on TV lit and comedy, Harrison — who is well respected in the industry — played an integral role setting up series including The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Without A Trace, The Vikings, as well as upcoming Big Mouth and Girl Boss.

Harrison joined WME predecessor Endeavor in 2001. Before that she worked as a comedy scout and Director of Comedy at 20th Century Fox Television.

Harrison will be spending the coming months traveling around the world with friends, most likely coming back to the business in a non-agent capacity.

“It’s rare to work in a job where your colleagues are like family, but that was my experience during my 16 years at this rare company,” Harrison said in a statement. “I’ve made some incredible friends here – including our clients and so many people throughout the business – and it means the world to me that I have their support as I embark on my next adventure. I’m looking forward to working with many them in a new capacity when I return from my journey.”

Here is a memo from WME’s Ari Greenburg to agency staffers about Harrison’s departure:

Our friend and partner Lisa Harrison will be departing WME. This split is about as amicable as it gets. Lisa is our friend, and someone who has had tremendous success with our group. She is an aunt to many of our kids, a presence in too many of our stories, and a person whose laugh has punctuated our meetings forever.

She is best known for championing the careers of multi-hyphenates and other top voices in comedy.

Lisa came to us 15 years ago from Twentieth, where she built a reputation as a scout and comedy developer. As one of our first female agents in TV, she taught us to nurture clients, especially those with unexpected talent & quirky personalities.

Mainly, Lisa has been here as we grew up, laughing, and often crying, alongside us.

She will be spending the next months traveling, reconnecting with friends, and we expect, adjusting to life without staff meetings and phone sheets.

She is family here, and has already been super helpful in transitioning clients.

When she returns from her adventure, she will be a client and friend — perhaps as a producer, maybe in some other role. We can’t wait to help her on this next endeavor.

Please help me wish Lisa good luck on her move.