Michael Holtzman Email & Phone Number

I am a highly creative chief communications officer who helps leading organizations manage complex issues and achieve their mission critical objectives. I thrive in fast-moving environments that require big thinking, policy chops, a powerful global network of contacts, seasoned judgement, and the willingness to use all of these tools to reach success. I am currently a Senior Advisor with Laurel Strategies, a Washington DC-based global advisory firm that works with well-known tech, financial, and educational organizations and leaders. The longtime partner of former Beatles manager Peter Brown, I helped build a successful mid-sized global public relations firm that consistently achieved success in high-stakes, win-lose engagements. I have served as a senior executive and crisis communications advisor for a number of prominent entertainment, sports, finance, educational, and tech leaders including Disney CEO Michael Eisner, former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul A. Volcker, SONY CEO Sir Howard Stringer, NASDAQ CEO Bob Greifeld,Bono, Blackstone Group founder Peter G Peterson, NBC Universal Chairman Bob Wright, among others. I have also provided decisive reputation management and communications advise to heads of state in Bahamas, Bermuda, Panama, Ecuador, Chile, Pakistan, Antigua & Barbuda, China, Gabon, Morocco, Chile, the DRC, and various Gulf Cooperation Council states. I advised the government of Panama during the Panama Papers financial crisis, brought the Tribeca Film Festival to the Middle East, and developed and passed World Autism Awareness Day at the UN. I have helped a number of companies launch IPOs and overcome regulatory and policy hurdles. I led winning campaigns on behalf of two Olympic Bid city candidates (Beijing 2008 and Vancouver 2010), and a successful FIFA World Cup host nation. I led a turnaround in ticket sales and hotel stays at one of America’s most beloved tourist attractions, and I have won nearly every major industry award conferred by the public relations industry, including being named “Global PR Professional of the Year” by PR Week Magazine. I was an Advisor in two US presidential Administrations and was Director of Public Affairs at The Council on Foreign Relations. I have managed very sensitive issues and crises for The Federal Emergency Management Agency. I am also an artist, musician, and author of critically-acclaimed fiction. I am the chief songwriter and guitarist for the supergroup Bad Penny, which features musicians known for their work with Queen, Journey, Judas Priest, and others.

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  William & Mary

  Government