Fox Says Stacey Snider Takes Over Film Unit Sooner Than Planned

(Bloomberg) -- 21st Century Fox Inc.’s longtime film studio chief Jim Gianopulos is leaving his post earlier than planned, handing the reins to Stacey Snider.

Snider will become chairman and chief executive officer of 20th Century Fox on Sept. 1, allowing for a more immediate transition, the company said Tuesday in a statement. Fox announced the planned change in June and said at the time the transition would take place in June 2017.

The media conglomerate controlled by Rupert Murdoch also has seen changes in leadership at its profitable Fox News division with the resignation of Roger Ailes and at the parent company, with James Murdoch and Lachlan Murdoch becoming chief executive and executive co-chairman, respectively, a year ago. The change at the studio follows a couple of years of falling revenue and profit.

Gianopulos, 64, spent 25 years at the studio, including 16 years as chairman. Snider, the film studio’s co-chairman since November 2014, will oversee all areas of the movie studio, including the five production divisions, global marketing and distribution, and home entertainment, the company said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Anousha Sakoui in Los Angeles at asakoui@bloomberg.net. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Crayton Harrison at tharrison5@bloomberg.net, Rob Golum