Los Angeles-based praisery the Michael Russell Group has tapped James Grant as VP. He will oversee MRG’s recently established New York office.

Grant previously worked as a journo for Time/Life and began his career with Davidson & Choy Public Relations.

MRG has represented the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. and Golden Globe Awards for 16 years, and he has overseen film campaigns for the Oscar-nommed “Mongol” and Roland Emmerich’s Centropolis Entertainment.