Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara has been ousted from his position of six years following an internal investigation into allegations that he used his position to boost the career of an actress he was having a sexual relationship with.
“Kevin has contributed greatly to the studio’s success over the past 25 years and for that we thank him,” said WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey in a Monday statement. “Kevin acknowledges that his mistakes are inconsistent with the company’s leadership expectations and could impact the company’s ability to execute going forward.”
Text messages between Tsujihara and UK actress Charlotte Kirk going back to 2013 revealed that he said he would help her score auditions while the two were engaged in a sexual relationship. Kirk appeared in two Warner Bros. films; Ocean’s 8 and How to Be Single.
Tsujihara’s personal attorney said in a statement that “Mr. Tsujihara had no direct role in the hiring of this actress,” while an outside law firm working with WarnerMedia is conducting an ongoing investigation into claims, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Tsujihara’s departure comes as John Stankey, named CEO of WarnerMedia in 2017, puts his stamp on the company in the wake of the AT&T’s $85 billion to $105 billion acquisition of Time Warner, which was approved last spring and then upheld by a federal appeals court last month. In a major reorganization, announced March 4, Tsujihara had been given additional responsibilities, including oversight of a new kids and young adults business bringing together family, kids and animation businesses from across WarnerMedia, including Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang. Additionally, Otter Media, Turner Classic Movies and all activities around licensed consumer products development for WarnerMedia properties were added to his portfolio. –Hollywood Reporter
The company has yet to name a successor.
via ZeroHedge News https://ift.tt/2UGZpV1 Tyler Durden