Relativity Promotes Gregory Shamo, Happy Walters to Co-Chief Operating Officers

Shoring up Relativity’s executive ranks, CEO Ryan Kavanaugh has promoted Gregory Shamo and Happy Walters to co-chief operating officers and announced that Michael Rosner, formerly senior counsel at Loeb & Loeb, has joined Relativity as general counsel.

Shamo had been serving as executive vp, corporate affairs & general counsel, while Walters has been president, Relativity Music Group & Rogue Sports.

In their new capacity, Shamo and Walters, who will both report to Kavanaugh, will help guide the company’s strategic direction as well as oversee such areas as legal, corporate affairs, business and legal affairs, human resources, technology and operations departments. As general counsel, reporting to Shamo and Walters, Rosner will supervise all legal matters at the company.

The moves come in the wake of the departures over recent months of several other Relativity executives. In October, Brian Edwards resigned as the company’s COO after just five months. The previous month, Joe Matukewicz, its senior vp acquisitions, left to join Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions. The company also has lost Bill Sutman, its CFO; Peter Adee, president of marketing and distribution; and Michael Joe, who had been president.

In making the announcement, Kavanaugh said, “We are continuing to reinforce our executive management team as we establish a foothold as a distributor. We are pleased to promote Greg and Happy, and are honored Michael has come aboard. Greg has worked with Relativity both internally and externally and has established some of the company’s biggest deals to date, while Happy’s leadership of the music and sports divisions has been invaluable to the company’s growth. Michael’s expertise and analytical skills make him an asset to this organization.” 

Since joining the company in 2009, Shamo has shepherded such Relativity’s deals as the agreement with John Malone’s Liberty Media/Starz that involved the absorption of Overture Films’ marketing and distribution assets. Shamo also brokered the Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment deal to act as Relativity’s home entertainment distributor. Previous to joining the company, Shamo represented it for two years as outside legal counsel at Loeb & Loeb.

Walters also joined Relativity in 2009, launching both its music and sports divisions. Previous to that, he created the indie rock label, Immortal Records. 

Relativity’s upcoming release slate includes Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire; the Navy SEAL action-thriller Act of Valor; and the fairy tale Mirror Mirror.