AMC Networks Alums Ed Carroll & Lisa Schwartz Join Kino Lorber

Kino Lorber has bolstered its senior leadership team with the appointments of Ed Carroll as chief strategy officer and Lisa Schwartz as chief revenue officer.

Carroll and Schwartz will work closely with Kino Lorber Chairman and CEO Richard Lorber and COO Martha Benyam to help shape the company’s content and distribution strategies, including an accelerated expansion into digital spaces.

Carroll joins Kino Lorber after three decades at AMC Networks, where he oversaw the development of series such as Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Portlandia, Killing Eve and Inside the Actors Studio. He also previously served as president at Bravo and COO of AMC Networks. Carroll helmed AMC Networks’ streaming channels, including Acorn, Sundance Now, IFC Unlimited and Shudder, and presided over the launch of AMC+. He was also instrumental in AMC’s acquisition of RLJ/Acorn and its equity stake in BBC America.

Schwartz had a 20-year tenure at AMC Networks, most recently overseeing IFC Films. She led the distribution strategies of Oscar-nominated films and documentaries such as Boyhood; Two Days, One Night; 45 Years; and Finding Vivian Maier. She was also the lead architect for the development and launch of the IFC Films Unlimited SVOD service, as well as IFC Films’ first AVOD streaming channel, IFC Films Pick.

Carroll commented, “Bringing prestige content to market and helping it find a wide audience has been the most fun and satisfying part of my career. Richard Lorber and his team have built a company that stands for high-quality storytelling, and I am excited to help build on that success.”

Schwartz said, “I have been a longtime admirer of Kino Lorber and their acclaimed films. I’m excited to bring their high-quality, diverse new releases and extensive catalog films to passionate, discerning audiences through expanding access on both digital and traditional distribution platforms. I’m looking forward to working together with Richard, Ed and Martha to continue to grow the business.”

Lorber added, “Ed and Lisa are a powerful combination, and I’m thrilled to welcome them both to the Kino Lorber C-suite. Following our acquisition of the MHz Choice streaming service, it’s the perfect time for them to join as we further innovate our distribution strategies to make prestige international film and TV content accessible to audiences throughout North America. Like me, they care intensely about quality and finding and sharing artistically elevated stories that connect across many genres.”