Lionsgate Ups Ron Schwartz & Jim Packer to Co-Heads of Home Entertainment

VANCOUVER/SANTA MONICA: Jim Packer and Ron Schwartz have been elevated to co-heads of Lionsgate’s worldwide home-entertainment operations.

Packer will also keep his current title and responsibilities as president of worldwide television and digital distribution, while Schwartz will serve as president of Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Packer’s promotion follows his recent signing of a new long-term agreement with the company. Schwartz entered a new long-term deal with Lionsgate last year and has been upped from his previous position as president and general manager of Lionsgate Home Entertainment Sales & Distribution. Both continue to report to Steve Beeks, Lionsgate’s co-COO and the president of the motion picture group.

“Ron and Jim have complementary skills and experience, and they bring strategic vision, marketing acumen and operational expertise to the opportunities created by fast-changing home entertainment consumption patterns,” said Beeks. “Under this new alignment, they will continue to lead a team of innovative and experienced executives in designing win/win scenarios for our digital and traditional partnerships alike as we expand the choices and enrich the quality and excitement of the home entertainment experience for our consumers.”

“Jim and Ron are ideally qualified to continue building our momentum, generate new opportunities for incremental revenue and margin growth and extend our home entertainment business in exciting new directions,” added Jon Feltheimer, Lionsgate’s CEO. “The emergence of new windows, the entry of new players in the digital space and the continued growth of our content business around the world create a perfect storm of opportunity on which Lionsgate is well positioned to capitalize as a next generation content company.”