Corporate
April 11, 2002
Kevin Tsujihara Takes On Expanded Corporate Role At Warner Bros. In Charge Of Business Development & Strategy
(April 11, 2002 - Burbank, CA) - Kevin Tsujihara takes on greatly expanded responsibilities and has been named to the newly created corporate role of Executive Vice President, Corporate Business Development & Strategy, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Warner Bros.
In the newly created post, Tsujihara adds oversight of strategic business and technology development to his current role in charge of new media and strategic planning. He becomes the liaison with AOL Time Warner for business development, while continuing that role for new media and strategic planning.
“By having a centralized effort, we can better integrate our internal activities, better coordinate with AOL Time Warner and be better positioned to identify and take advantage of growth opportunities, as well as structure strategic partnerships in today’s rapidly moving business environment,” said Meyer. “Kevin has that rare combination of futurist and pragmatist, I know of no one more qualified, more knowledgeable or better able to take on this crucial role.
“In general, we will look to Kevin and his team to formulate Warner Bros.’ strategic business goals, to evaluate prospective deals and acquisitions, and to work closely with our divisions to ensure that our efforts are properly integrated and that we are all traveling down complementary paths toward meeting our mutual goals as well as those of AOL Time Warner.”
Tsujihara will reorganize within his new areas of responsibility in order to operate more efficiently and effectively. He will combine Strategic Planning with Corporate Business Development and add tighter linkage to New Media and Technology Development.
Some of the personnel changes resulting from the reorganization and Tsujihara’s additional responsibilities include:
In strategic planning and business development, leading the newly combined department will be John Calkins and Gary Meisel, who become Senior Vice Presidents, Corporate Business Development & Strategy. Clarissa Weirick continues in her role as head of business & legal affairs, moving up to Senior Vice President & General Counsel for the expanded group.
Within New Media: Jim Noonan (Senior Vice President & General Manager Domestic); Jodi Nesis Benaim (Senior Vice President, International); and Chuck Dages (Senior Vice President, Emerging Technologies) continue to report to Tsujihara.
In Technology Operations: Chris Cookson, Executive Vice President & Warner Bros. Chief Technology Officer, will now report to Tsujihara.
Tsujihara joined Warner Bros. in 1994 to assist in the management of the company’s interest in Six Flags; some two years later, he was named Vice President, Corporate Projects, spearheading the company’s ongoing cost-management endeavors, and, in 1998, was named Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning and Development, where he focused on meeting Warner Bros.’ growth objectives by identifying business opportunities emerging out of changes in the competitive landscape, the marketplace, technology and regulation, and in 2000, he added new media and the re-launch and re-positioning of Warner Bros. Online to his responsibilities and was named Executive Vice President, New Media, Warner Bros.
Upon attaining his MBA from Stanford University, he founded QuickTax, Inc., a company specializing in electronically filing tax and financial data. Prior to attending Stanford, he spent four years in Ernst & Young’s entertainment division working in the audit and merger & acquisitions areas. He joined the accounting firm upon graduation from the University of Southern California, where he received his bachelor’s degree in business administration. # # #