Sony Pictures Entertainment has appointed Jay Levin as executive vice president, chief strategy officer and head of business operations.
In the newly created executive role, Levine, who will be reporting to SPE president and CEO Ravi Ahuja, will be responsible for driving strategic growth initiatives while overseeing corporate development, investments, and mergers and acquisitions, as well as providing direct oversight of a portfolio of SPE businesses and departments.
Levine comes to SPE from Hartbeat, the media company founded by Kevin Hart, which he had joined a year ago as its CEO. At Hartbeat, Levine oversaw all aspects of the private-equity backed multiplatform entertainment company’s activities, including the development, production, marketing, distribution, and other exploitation of its intellectual property and experiences.
Prior to joining Hartbeat, Levine spent over a decade at Warner Bros. and then WarnerMedia in a variety of senior leadership roles.
“I am thrilled to welcome Jay to Sony Pictures,” Ahuja said in a statement. “He brings not only deep expertise and a great reputation but also a collaborative spirit and strong relationships that will help drive our company’s growth. Jay’s insight and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to expand and innovate.”
Levine commented, “I look forward to collaborating closely with Ravi and the entire leadership team to advance the company’s opportunities for expansion and growth given the evolving media landscape.”
