Schlessel Appointed President, Worldwide Affairs at Sony Pictures Entertainment

Schlessel Appointed President, Worldwide Affairs at Sony Pictures Entertainment

New Position Will Oversee Acquisitions And Corporate-wide Initiatives

CULVER CITY, Calif., Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Peter Schlessel has been appointed President, Worldwide Affairs at Sony Pictures Entertainment, it was announced today by Michael Lynton, CEO and Chairman, and Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman.

Schlessel, who has been serving as President of the Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group since 2006, will be replaced in that role, but will retain oversight of the Group. In his new capacity, he will take on the additional responsibility of overseeing key corporate-wide initiatives and identifying strategic opportunities for the company. Schlessel will report directly to Lynton and Pascal.

"This promotion reflects the importance of coordinated, strategic planning across all of our lines of business, and Peter is the perfect person to partner with in this effort," said Lynton. "He has become a key player in many aspects of our overall business, and in this new position he will be able to help Amy and me manage and grow the company in a more efficient and profitable way," said Lynton.

"I have had a long relationship with Peter that I truly value, and I'm excited to work closely with him again in helping to maintain and expand Sony Pictures' role in the entertainment community," said Pascal. "His invaluable range of business and creative experiences and his personal skills will be an asset throughout the company."

"I've enjoyed my time back at SPE and am looking forward to working more closely with Michael and Amy. Sony Pictures is an incredible company and I'm excited to be more involved with the entire studio," Schlessel said.

Schlessel joined the business and legal affairs group of RCA / Columbia Pictures Home Video in 1989 and has since held several key senior positions at Sony Pictures. He was named Senior Vice President of acquisitions and business affairs in 1994 and played a pivotal role in the formation of Screen Gems in 1996. He became President of Production of Columbia Pictures in 2000, and eventually served as President of Columbia Pictures. He played a key role in such studio successes as The Wedding Planner, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and The Grudge. Recent acquisitions include District 9, to be produced by Peter Jackson, and Frank Miller's The Spirit.

From 2004 until he rejoined the company, Schlessel was an independent consultant to several companies, including Mandate Pictures, Dreamworks SKG and Participant Productions, which he helped create. He also served as a producer and executive producer on a number of feature films. Schlessel sits on the Board of Directors of Film Independent and Participant Productions, and is a member of the AMPAS. He is a graduate of Union College and the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com/

Contact:

Jim Kennedy
Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications
310.244.6777
jim_kennedy@spe.sony.com

Steve Elzer
Senior Vice President, Media Relations
Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group
(310) 244-7142
steve_elzer@spe.sony.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment

CONTACT: Jim Kennedy, Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications
of Sony Pictures Entertainment, +1-310-244-6777, jim_kennedy@spe.sony.com; or
Steve Elzer, Senior Vice President, Media Relations of Columbia TriStar Motion
Picture Group, +1-310-244-7142, steve_elzer@spe.sony.com, for Sony Pictures
Entertainment

Web site: http://www.sonypictures.com/

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