Kevin Tsujihara
{{Short description|American businessman}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kevin Tsujihara
| image =
| birth_name = Kevin Ken Tsujihara
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|10|25}}
| birth_place = Petaluma, California, U.S.
| education = University of Southern California
Stanford University
| occupation = Businessman
| title =
| spouse = Sandy Tsujihara
| children = 2
}}
Kevin Ken Tsujihara (born October 25, 1964) is an American businessman, and former chairman and CEO of Warner Bros Entertainment. He succeeded Barry Meyer as CEO in March 2013, and as chairman in December 2013, having previously been president of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Upon assuming the role of CEO, Tsujihara became the first Asian American to run a major film studio. He resigned in 2019 due to alleged sexual misconduct revealed by leaked text messages.
Early life
Kevin Tsujihara was born to Shizuo and Miyeko "Mickey" Tsujihara and grew up in Petaluma, California. He has Japanese American heritage. His family owned Empire Egg Company, a company that distributed eggs to markets across the San Francisco Bay area. Tsujihara graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in accounting, and subsequently earned an MBA degree from Stanford Graduate School of Business. After graduating from Stanford, he and some former classmates launched QuickTax Inc., a tax preparation company.{{cite news
|url=http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20130129/MCT/130129508/1350?p=all&tc=pgall
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130216173000/http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20130129/MCT/130129508/1350?p=all&tc=pgall
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=February 16, 2013
|title=Petaluma native Kevin Tsujihara named CEO of Warner Bros. studio
|date=January 29, 2013
|newspaper=The Press Democrat
|accessdate=January 29, 2013
}}{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-warner-chief-box-20130129,0,3453915.story|title=Warner Bros.' new CEO, Kevin Tsujihara, at a glance|date=January 29, 2013|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=January 29, 2013}}
Career
{{Expand section|date=January 2023}}
Tsujihara commenced his tenure at Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. in 1994, initially as director of special projects finance, in this role, he primarily managed the company's involvement with Six Flags Theme Parks, which had been acquired by Warner Bros.' parent company Time Warner (now WarnerMedia) in 1990. While employed at Warner Bros., he also focused on business development and online content. By 2005, he had risen to the position of president within the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment unit, which focuses on the home video, online distribution and video games for the company.{{cite news|url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/28/tsujihara-to-succeed-meyer-as-head-of-warner-brothers/|author=Barnes, Brooks|title=Tsujihara to Succeed Meyer as Head of Warner Brothers|date=January 28, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|accessdate=January 29, 2013}}{{cite news|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/news/kevin-tsujihara-ill-continue-warner-bros-legacy-tough-000733645.html|author=Waxman, Sharon|author-link=Sharon Waxman|title=Kevin Tsujihara: I'll Continue Warner Bros. Legacy in 'Tough Environment'|date=January 28, 2013|work=Yahoo! News|accessdate=January 29, 2013}}
In January 2013, Tsujihara was named the new chief executive officer of Warner Bros. after the announcement that Barry Meyer would retire from the position on March 1, 2013. This made him the first Asian American to be the CEO of a major Hollywood studio and the fifth leader in the 90-year history of Warner Bros.
In April 2023, Tsujihara closed at $360 million growth equity fund to invest in media, entertainment and gaming companies, along with partners Alex Iosilevech and Jeff Bewkes.{{Cite web |last=Moses |first=Lucia |title=How 2 longtime Warner Bros. execs and a veteran media banker plan to invest $360 million in sports, live experiences, and proven IP |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/alignment-growth-bewkes-tsujihara-iosilevich-invest-360-million-media-sports-2023-5 |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}
= Sexual misconduct =
On March 6, 2019, leaked text messages showed that Kevin Tsujihara had allegedly promised auditions and acting jobs to actress Charlotte Kirk in return for sexual favours, with assistance from film mogul James Packer in September 2013. WarnerMedia initiated investigations to these allegations.{{cite magazine |last=Littleton |first=Cynthia |date=March 6, 2019 |title=Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara Under Investigation for Allegations of Sexual Impropriety |url=https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/kevin-tsujihara-warner-brothers-ceo-sexual-impropriety-investigation-1203156559 |magazine=Variety |accessdate=March 6, 2019}} On March 8, 2019, Tsujihara released a memo apologizing to his colleagues at WarnerMedia for his behavior.{{Cite web |last=Galuppo |first=Mia |date=2019-03-08 |title=Warner Bros.' Kevin Tsujihara Apologizes in Memo Amid Misconduct Probe |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-kevin-tsujihara-apologizes-memo-reports-inappropriate-behavior-1193341 |access-date=2019-03-12 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en}} A statement issued by Tsujihara's attorney stated that Tsujihara "did not have a direct role in the actress being cast in any movie".{{Cite news |last=Barnes |first=Brooks |date=2019-03-06 |title=WarnerMedia to Investigate Claims Involving a Top Executive |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/06/business/media/warnermedia-kevin-tsujihara.html |access-date=2019-07-18 |issn=0362-4331}} Tsujihara resigned on March 18, 2019, as chairman and CEO of Warner Bros.{{cite news |last=Faughnder |first=Ryan |date=March 18, 2019 |title=Kevin Tsujihara out as CEO of Warner Bros. |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-kevin-tsujihara-warner-bros-scandal-20190318-story.html |accessdate=March 18, 2019}}
In September 2020 her lawyers filed a petition in the Los Angeles Superior Court to vacate a gag order that has kept her mostly silent amid the years-long battle. The petition paints a picture of Tsujihara engaging in non consensual sex. The Hollywood Reporter also revealed information about how Tsujihara and former NBCUniversal Vice Chairman Ronald Meyer colluded to cover up the real nature of their relationships with Kirk, reached settlement and court cases.{{Cite web |title=Charlotte Kirk, Kevin Tsujihara and a Nonconsensual Sex Allegation That Sparked a Secret Legal Saga |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/charlotte-kirk-kevin-tsujihara-and-a-non-consensual-sex-allegation-that-sparked-a-secret-legal-saga |website=Hollywood Reporter|date=24 September 2020 }}
Personal life
Tsujihara and his wife, Sandy, have two children.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2013/biz/news/warner-bros-embraces-digital-future-in-selecting-kevin-tsujihara-as-ceo-1200328738/|title=Warner Bros. Embraced Digital Future With Choice of Kevin Tsujihara as CEO|last=Littleton|first=Cynthia|date=2013-03-27|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-03-12}} Tsujihara has sat on the board of governors of the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF).{{Cite web|url=https://mptf.com/about-us/|title=About Us|website=mptf.com|access-date=2021-02-04}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{imdb name|2493597}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tsujihara, Kevin}}
Category:American people of Japanese descent
Category:American film studio executives
Category:Marshall School of Business alumni
Category:People from Petaluma, California
Category:Stanford Graduate School of Business alumni