Andy Kaplan Exits Amid Sony Restructure

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Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is implementing changes across its home entertainment and television businesses, with Andy Kaplan stepping down as president of worldwide networks.

As part of the structural and leadership changes, Keith Le Goy, the president of distribution for Sony Pictures Television (SPT), is expanding his oversight to also include home entertainment. Le Goy will now report to both Mike Hopkins, SPT’s chairman, for SPT distribution, and to Tom Rothman, chairman of the motion picture group, for home entertainment.

“The expansion of Keith’s oversight is not only recognition of his leadership strength and success in this space, but also of the changing landscape of the home entertainment sector, which continues to shift from physical to digital and increasingly to markets around the world,” said Tony Vinciquerra, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s chairman and chief executive. “Keith’s global experience is unmatched in our industry and he is the perfect fit to reorient our home entertainment business to align with the realities of today’s marketplace.”

Man Jit Singh will be stepping down as president of SPE Home Entertainment. “I want to thank Man Jit for guiding our home entertainment business through years of unprecedented change, and in helping to build our robust networks business in India, where he once served as CEO of Sony Pictures Networks India,” Vinciquerra said. “His efforts in India have contributed immeasurably to SPE’s current strength in that fast-growing market.”

The company is also realigning the reporting structure in its worldwide networks business, which Kaplan is departing. Moving forward, the networks business will now report directly to Hopkins. “I want to thank Andy for his years of service and hard work at SPE,” Vinciquerra said. “Under his leadership, our networks business has grown tremendously, currently operating in 178 countries, with 101 channels and 189 feeds—reaching nearly 2 billion people. His strategic management of the networks group and its key assets—including Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Crackle, GSN, AXN, ANIMAX, Sony Channel and our entire portfolio in India—has kept SPT Networks a vital part of SPE’s overall business.”

The reporting lines in SPT marketing are being reworked as well. Each of the dedicated SPT marketing teams will report directly to the business units they support. U.S. distribution marketing, international production and distribution marketing, and creative services will now report to Le Goy’s group. Franchise and consumer products marketing, and publicity and talent relations will now report to Jeff Frost’s group. Event planning and marketing advertiser sales will now report to Amy Carney’s group. Sheraton Kalouria will be stepping down as president and chief marketing officer for SPT.