Experienced media executive Anthony Vinciquerra has been named the new chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), effective 1 June, 2017. Vinciquerra is stepping in for 13 year veteran Michael Lynton, who announced his departure in January.
Reporting to Sony president and CEO Kazuo Hirai, the new SPE head will oversee the studio’s corporate groups and its business division – Sony’s Motion Picture Group (which includes Sony Pictures Animation and Imageworks), Sony Pictures Television and Worldwide Media Networks.
“Tony is a proven, results-oriented leader with extensive experience running and driving growth in large, complex media and entertainment businesses,” said Hirai. “His operating skills, effectiveness working with creative teams and expertise in managing digital disruption and new technologies make him the perfect choice to lead SPE, and build on the studio’s turnaround efforts to date. I want to thank Michael for his years of service and dedication to the success of our entertainment businesses, and for his commitment to our CEO search and this transition.”
Vinciquerra is currently senior advisor for technology, media and telecommunications to Texas Pacific Group. Previously, he was chairman and CEO at FOX Networks Group, where he spent nearly a decade. Prior to FOX, he worked in the broadcasting division at Hearst Corporation and CBS.
Sony Pictures Animation recently released Smurfs: The Lost Village and will see two more titles this year: The Emoji Movie (28 July) and The Star (10 November). Its upcoming slate also includes Peter Rabbit, Hotel Transylvania 3 (21 September), the highly anticipated, untitled animated Spider-Man flick in 2018 and the musical animated feature Vivo in 2020.
