BURBANK, Calif., Sept. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert Simonds, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of STX Entertainment, and Sophie Watts, President of STX, today announced that Kathy Savitt will join the studio as President, Digital beginning in October. In this role, Savitt will be responsible for STX's global digital content strategy, helping the studio fulfill its ambition of becoming a true creative haven for the world's top entertainment talent.
Savitt joins STX, where she will report to CEO Simonds with a dotted line report to President Sophie Watts. Savitt currently serves as the Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Media at Yahoo, Inc. At Yahoo, Savitt led the company's global brand marketing, product and performance marketing, audience engagement strategies, as well as original editorial and video content across market-leading properties such as Yahoo News, Yahoo Finance and Yahoo Sports. She also led the editorial launch of over a dozen new digital magazines in addition to Yahoo's original video programming, including the innovative Yahoo Live Nation partnership bringing the world's best live concerts daily to Yahoo; the revival of fan favorite Community; Paul Feig's "Other Space"; and Mike Tolin's "Sin City Saints."
"Kathy's combined expertise in marketing and digital content creation is unparalleled. Her industry experience and creative vision will establish STX Digital as a new and disruptive force in the entertainment industry as we tell compelling stories to a global audience," said Simonds. "She has keen insights into storytelling that meets digital and television viewers where they watch. Kathy will help us approach digital opportunities from an audience-first perspective, producing the best story possible."
"Kathy brings a rare blend of both creative and business know-how and we are excited to have her on board," added Watts. "With the addition of Kathy as the head of our Digital team, and the momentum already established by Film Studio Chairman Adam Fogelson, STX can now give storytellers and the creative community the unique opportunity to expand their talents across every format – bridging the worlds between film, television, music and digital."
"The addition of Kathy to STX is another example of this team's innovative approach to building a studio consistent with the world we live in today, and their focus on attracting the best management talent in the world to build STX Entertainment," said Bill McGlashan, Managing Partner of TPG Growth.
"I'm excited and proud to join Bob, Sophie and the STX team," said Savitt. "In a time of unprecedented change in the media industry, STX is redefining storytelling. Viewers are in control and each film or show has to earn its space in their time on its own merit. What we are doing at STX hasn't been done before; we are creating a new way for audiences to access meaningful stories, from wherever they are."
Savitt has spent a career at the cutting edge of digital strategy with more than 30 years of marketing, media, e-commerce, and executive leadership experience. Before joining Yahoo, Kathy was CEO of Lockerz, a company she founded in 2009 with the mission of revolutionizing the way Generation Z discovers and consumes content and products. Previously, Kathy was Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. Prior to that, she served as Vice President of Strategic Communications, Content and Entertainment Initiatives for Amazon.com. Kathy currently is a member of the Board of Directors of Alaska Air Group. She graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor's degree in history and government.
ABOUT STX ENTERTAINMENT
STX Entertainment is a fully-integrated motion picture, television, and digital content studio specializing in the production, marketing, and distribution of talent-driven films, television, and digital programming. It is the first major studio to be launched at this scale in Hollywood in more than twenty years.
STX Entertainment is led by prolific businessman Robert Simonds and was co-founded by Bill McGlashan, Managing Partner of TPG Growth, a division of leading global private investment firm TPG, which has $75 billion of capital under management.
In addition to backing from TPG Growth, other investors include blue chip financial partner Hony Capital, a leading private equity firm in China, Gigi Pritzker, co-founder and CEO of film and television production company OddLot Entertainment, and Beau Wrigley, former Chairman and CEO of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, among others.
For more information, please visit https://www.stxentertainment.com/
CONTACT:
Steve Elzer
STX Entertainment
213-607-3591
Georgia Gonder
TPG
(415) 269-9884
SOURCE STX Entertainment
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