Disney Exec Jim Kapenstein Joins Starz as Chief Legal/Strategy Officer
Starz Appoints Jim Kapenstein as Chief Legal and Strategy Officer
Starz has announced the appointment of Jim Kapenstein, a veteran Disney executive, as the company’s new chief legal and strategy officer. Kapenstein is set to join Starz next week and will report directly to president and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch, who revealed the news on Monday.
In his new role, Kapenstein will be tasked with overseeing the strategic direction of business and legal affairs at Starz. This includes managing distribution, content acquisition, production, litigation, employment matters, and legal and regulatory compliance. Additionally, he will be instrumental in leading corporate transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, while also handling governance and public company responsibilities.
Kapenstein takes over from former Starz general counsel Audrey Lee and former chief strategy officer John Penney.
Jeffrey Hirsch expressed his confidence in Kapenstein, stating, “Few executives bring the breadth of experience Jim does with his involvement in some of the largest transactions in media history. His insight into guiding organizations through periods of transformation will be invaluable to us as we enter into our next phase of growth.”
With close to 30 years of experience at Disney, Kapenstein most recently served as deputy general counsel. His responsibilities included overseeing major transactions such as the acquisitions of 21st Century Fox, Hulu, Lucas Films, Marvel, and Pixar, as well as ESPN’s equity investment with the NFL.
Excited about his new role, Kapenstein stated, “I am honored to join Jeff and the Starz team at such an exciting time in the company’s growth and evolution. Starz has built an exceptional, profitable digital streaming business. I am looking forward to helping Jeff and his team shape the next stage of its growth and drive strategic direction through disciplined expansion, capitalizing on existing market opportunities, and maintaining a best-in-class legal and corporate governance framework.”
Kapenstein began his career at Arent & Fox in Washington, D.C., and later worked as a senior associate at Alston & Bird.
