Kino Lorber hired former AMC Networks execs Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz to bolster its executive suite.
Carroll becomes chief strategy officer at the New York-based arthouse film group after three decades at AMC Networks, which included a stint as COO and overseeing series like The Walking Dead, Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Schwartz, who worked for two decades at the premium cable channel, most recently ran IFC Films and becomes chief revenue officer at Kino Lorber.
The departures of Carroll and Schwartz from AMC Networks coincided with the recent exit of CEO Christina Spade and company-wife layoffs as chairman James Dolan assumed control of the restructuring media player on an interim basis.
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In their new roles, Carroll and Schwartz will work with Kino Lorber chairman and CEO Richard Lorber and COO Martha Benyam to shape the film group’s content and distribution strategies and push further into digital spaces.
Carroll oversaw AMC Networks’ streaming channels, including Acorn, Sundance Now, IFC Unlimited and Shudder, and helped launch AMC+. The duo also join Kino Lorber after its recent acquisition of MHz Networks, parent of streamer MHz Choice, a North American subscription video-on-demand service for international TV series.
“Bringing prestige content to market and helping it find a wide audience has been the most fun and satisfying part of my career. Richard Lorber and his team have built a company that stands for high-quality storytelling, and I am excited to help build on that success,” Carroll said in a statement.
Kino Lorber is one of the most prolific distributors in the art house space, with a recent slate that includes such features as Maggie Peren’s World War II drama The Forger, which premiered in Berlin, Cannes titles 1976 from Manuela Martelli and The Worst Ones from directors Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret, and Pietro Marcello’s 2019 Venice Film Festival entry Martin Eden, which starred The Old Guard actor Luca Marinelli.
Lorber added in his own statement: “Ed and Lisa are a powerful combination and I’m thrilled to welcome them both to the Kino Lorber C-suite. Following our acquisition of the MHz Choice streaming service, it’s the perfect time for them to join, as we further innovate our distribution strategies to make prestige international film and TV content accessible to audiences throughout North America.”
