It is a difficult day at WarnerMedia, which is undergoing a round of major layoffs, part of a companywide restructuring spearheaded by new CEO Jason Kilar.
As part of realignment, leaving the company are Jeffrey R. Schlesinger President, Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution; Ron Sanders, President, Worldwide Theatrical Distribution & Home Entertainment and EVP, International Business Operations; and Kim Williams, EVP and Chief Financial Officer, Warner Bros. Entertainment.
They join Bob Greenblatt, Chairman, WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer; Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer, HBO Max and president, TNT, TBS, and truTV; as well as Keith Cocozza, EVP of Corporate Marketing and Communications, whose exits were announced Friday.
All in all, about 600 employees across multiple divisions are expected to be let go, starting today. Warner Bros Entertainment is believed to be heavily impacted.
Distribution is an area that is typically vulnerable in consolidation; it was the first division to see top executive departures and major layoffs following the Disney-Fox merger.
Schlesinger, a 37-year Warner Bros/Lorimar veteran, was responsible for global distribution of Warner Bros, HBO and Turner content to all television platforms worldwide, including the sale of previously produced series and feature films to U.S. broadcast and cable outlets, domestic syndication and sales to SVOD and AVOD platforms. He has served in his current role since 2013.
“It’s been a great 37 year run, with 26 as president of International Television Distribution, spanning six mergers, millions of miles traveled, thousands of programs sold and billions of dollars generated. In the end, it took a global pandemic and a complete reorganization of the company for me to trip over the last hurdle,” Schlesinger said. “I hope to always be remembered as the only studio executive to ride into an International Screenings party at the studio on the back of an elephant in the ‘good old days.’ ”
Sanders, a 29-year Warner Bros veteran, oversaw global theatrical distribution and the home entertainment distribution operation.
“Warner Bros is known for being the most celebrated studio in history for good reason,” Sanders said. “The talent is unmatched, both on the creative and business sides, and I’m honored to have been entrusted to oversee a great portfolio of businesses around the world for the last 30 years.”
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