Longtime top AMC Networks execs Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz have found their new C-suite home: The former cable channel leaders have joined Kino Lorber, with Carroll set as chief strategy officer and Lisa Schwartz as chief revenue officer.
The former colleagues will be working close with Kino Lorber chairman and CEO Richard Lorber and COO Martha Benyam to focus the company’s content and distribution strategies on expanding into digital spaces, an area Kino Lorber has been ramping up on with the recent acquisition of streamer MHz Choice’s parent company MHz Networks.
“Ed and Lisa are a powerful combination and I’m thrilled to welcome them both to the Kino Lorber C-suite,” Lorber said. “Following our acquisition of the MHz Choice streaming service, it’s the perfect time for them to join, as we further innovate our distribution strategies to make prestige international film and TV content accessible to audiences throughout North America. Like me, they care intensely about quality, and finding and sharing artistically elevated stories that connect across many genres.”
Caroll previously served as COO of AMC Networks, spending three decades at the company during which he oversaw development on series including “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “Portlandia,” “Killing Eve,” and “Inside the Actors Studio.” Carroll exited AMC Networks, which is currently undergoing a major overhaul after the departure of its short-lived new CEO Christina Spade, in 2021.
Schwartz spent 20 years at AMC Networks, most recently overseeing IFC Films. She led the distribution strategies of Oscar-nominated films and documentaries including “Boyhood,” “Two Days, One Night,” “45 Years,” and “Finding Vivian Maier.” Schwartz departed as co-president of IFC Films in 2020.
“Bringing prestige content to market and helping it find a wide audience has been the most fun and satisfying part of my career,” Carroll said. “Richard Lorber and his team have built a company that stands for high-quality storytelling, and I am excited to help build on that success.”
Schwartz added: “I have been a longtime admirer of Kino Lorber and their acclaimed films. I’m excited to bring their high-quality, diverse new releases and extensive catalog films to passionate, discerning audiences through expanding access on both digital and traditional distribution platforms. I’m looking forward to working together with Richard, Ed and Martha to continue to grow the business.”
