Warner Bros. Shuffles Its Executive Ranks

Not even the pink aura of Barbie could save the top brass at Warner Bros. Motion Pictures from the effects of the pandemic and the Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Writers Guild of America strikes, as the studio revealed a shuffle atop its executive ranks Wednesday.

President of domestic distribution Jeff Goldstein will now oversee all aspects of the company’s theatrical distribution activities globally, including business strategy, dating, exhibitor relations, sales and administration, and specialty/premium formats.

Warner Bros. also announced the departures of president of worldwide marketing Josh Goldstine, who led the massive promotional effort behind Barbie, and president of international theatrical distribution Andrew Cripps.

Executive vice president of worldwide marketing Dana Nussbaum and executive vp of worldwide marketing strategy Christian Davin will oversee the global marketing team on an interim basis, while executive vp of creative advertising John Stanford will serve as interim head of theatrical creative advertising on behalf of the studio’s upcoming releases.

The company said Wednesday’s moves are part of a reorganization as the overall movie business attempts to bounce back from Covid-19 and the two crippling strikes.

“In building for the future, we have made the decision to realign our business unit with a singular global operation at its center to offer greater alignment for all our team members in the years ahead,” Warner Bros. Entertainment chairman Michael DeLuca and CEO Pam Abdy wrote in an internal memo shared with ADWEEK.

“Creatively, we have the great privilege to partner with some of cinema’s greatest filmmakers across every genre of film, and we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for this team to continue to bring the great movies Warner Bros. has made for over a century to audiences the world over,” they added.

Goldstine joined Warner Bros. in 2021 after seven years with Universal Pictures and, in addition to Barbie, he oversaw its campaigns backing The Batman, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Dune, and Wonka.

“For the past several years, I have had the great privilege to work alongside a team whom I deeply admire and who brought their very best to every campaign across every imaginable genre of movie,” he wrote in an internal memo. “From Barbie to Beetlejuice, to Dune and Wonka, your work has been nothing short of inspiring, and I cannot thank you enough for your contributions to the many successes we have shared together.”

Five-year Warner Bros. veteran Cripps added in his memo, “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, through the ravages of Covid and the seismic changes that the industry has seen, but it is the people and the international team that has really made my time here so special … I will be here to help with transition plans but wanted to say a huge thank you to each and every one of you for everything you do day in and day out.”