Sandra Stern to Exit Lionsgate Television Group

Sandra Stern, vice chairman of Lionsgate Television Group, will be leaving her position at the end of March after 23 years at the company.

As vice chairman of the television group and the highest-ranking woman executive at the studio, Stern has been instrumental in crafting the business models that helped to grow Lionsgate’s TV business from its indie roots into one of the leading independent television organizations in the world, delivering more than 80 scripted and unscripted series to dozens of streaming, broadcast, cable, FAST and digital media platforms.

During her tenure, Stern has helped shepherd series like Mad Men, Weeds, Nurse Jackie, Nashville and Orange Is the New Black, one of the first original series for the streaming world. She has been a driving force in the television group’s recent momentum, highlighted by last year’s launch of The Studio, which won a record 13 Emmys; The Hunting Wives, which debuted near the top of Netflix’s global charts; The Rainmaker; and renewals for Ghosts and The Rookie.

Stern also played a key role in the acquisition and successful integration of eOne, adding thousands of titles to the Lionsgate library. She also helped lead the studio’s collaboration with 3 Arts Entertainment and its minority investment in the talent management company 42.

Although she is exiting her role as vice chairman, Stern will continue her relationship with the company as a long-term consultant.

“Sandra has been my friend, partner and protégé for the past 40 years,” said Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer. “She is an amazing strategist with unparalleled relationships with our partners, and few people understand our business as well as she does. Sandra has been a pillar of our studio’s growth and success for 23 years. Whatever she chooses for the next phase of her career, she will remain a valued and cherished member of our Lionsgate family.”

“I am so grateful to Jon for the empowerment, inspiration and support he has given me throughout my career as my boss, mentor and friend,” Stern commented. “The 23 years I have spent with Jon, Kevin [Beggs] and the rest of the Lionsgate team have been the most personally and professionally rewarding for me, and the relationships I have formed and the friends I have made within my extended television family over my career made my decision to try something new a difficult one. But I know that I am leaving our television group in an incredibly strong position, with a great slate of series, a robust creative pipeline and an exceptional team of executives to move them forward, and I am excited to explore other passions and embark on new adventures beyond the world of television.”