Three vps have joined the Sony Pictures Digital Sales and Marketing team. The appointments come as svps Ira Rubenstein and Mike Arrieta establish their senior team to lead development in several emerging markets.
Bill Sanders has been tapped vp, programming, Jason Spivak has joined as vp, digital distribution and licensing and Jason Wells will serve as vp, mobile. Sanders, Spivak and Wells join Emmanuelle Borde, vp, marketing and production, Shalom Mann, vp, game studio, and Michael Wayne vp, strategic alliances, to complete the Sony Pictures Digital Sales and Marketing senior management team.
Sony Pictures Digital Sales and Marketing is responsible for extending Sony Pictures Ent. properties into the digital marketplace through online marketing and promotions, mobile entertainment and personalization products and the digital sale of the studio's film and television programming worldwide.
Sanders will be responsible for overseeing the creation of film and video related programming and applications for the mobile marketplace. Spivak will be responsible for developing and managing the distribution of the Sony and MGM libraries to existing and emerging digital platforms. Wells will be responsible for further expanding Sony Pictures Ent.'s properties throughout the mobile space through both mobile operators and direct to consumer opportunities worldwide.
"The growth opportunities available in the digital arena continue to expand at a rapid pace. We are committed to bringing entertainment to our consumers by providing them with choices of where, when, and how they would like to enjoy their favorite properties," said Arrieta. "These three new executives each bring a diverse set of skills, knowledge and background to the team, and will help us to make our vision of the digital future, a reality in the present, added Rubenstein."
Sanders most recently served as president of Pervasive Media, where he consulted businesses that focused on entertainment content for mobile devices; in particular, video for cell phones. Prior to that position, Sanders was svp for Big Ticket Television, a Paramount/Viacom company, where he oversaw all current network and syndicated programming and spearheaded Big Ticket's entry into enhanced television. Throughout his career, Sanders has served as vp of original programming for HBO and supervising producer for the channel's award-winning comedy series DREAM ON. In addition, he has held positions at Universal Television, Warner Bros. Television and ABC.
Spivak served as vp, digital distribution for MGM Home Ent., where he was responsible for developing and executing distribution strategies for MGM's library across all transactional digital platforms, including cable, satellite and internet pay-per-view and video-on-demand services. Prior to that, Spivak served as Southern European exec director for MGM Home Ent. Europe, Ltd. In this role, he oversaw sales, distribution and marketing efforts for MGM Home Ent. products in the Southern European region. Spivak began his career as a director of Strategic Planning for MGM Home Ent. and MGM Consumer Products.
Most recently Wells was vp of business development for Handango, where he directed the content and distribution business units. Prior to that, Wells was founder and president of Globient Corp., where he opened new channels in Europe, Asia and Latin America for technology companies. As a former management consultant with AT Kearney, Wells worked with telecommunications giants such as Sprint and Telstra to launch and grow new businesses. He has worked extensively throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America in channel development, marketing and strategy roles. His professional experience includes tenure at Marriott Intl, where he was instrumental in establishing new ventures.
Sony Pictures Digital, an operating unit of Sony Pictures Ent., consists of Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Sony Online Ent., SonyPictures.com and Digital Sales and Marketing. The division produces stories, characters, images and experiences conceived, created, rendered and delivered digitally. Sony Pictures Digital Sales and Marketing extends Sony Pictures Entertainment properties into the digital marketplace through online promotion via SonyPictures.com, mobile entertainment and personalization products, and the digital sale of the studio's film and television programming. For more info, visit www.sonypictures.com.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
