Warner Bros.’ vice chairman Ed Romano will retire at the end of June after 48 years with the studio and become an executive advisor to chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara and its senior management team.
Romano has served as vice chairman since December 2014. He served as executive VP and chief financial officer starting in 1994 until his promotion to vice chairman, worked closely with Tsujihara to implement growth strategies including international expansion, digital transition and resource reallocation from mature businesses to high opportunity, content-creating divisions.
“I have worked with Ed as long as I’ve been at Warner Bros. — in fact, it’s hard to imagine the Studio without him,” said Tsujihara. “He’s more than just a longtime employee, he’s part of the company’s history. I’m grateful for his partnership since I’ve been CEO, and while this is being called his retirement, I’m glad that we’ll still be able to draw upon his experience and counsel as a consultant. So I’ll thank him for his many years of service, but I won’t say goodbye.”
Barry Meyer, the chairman and CEO between 1999 and 2013, said, “Ed and I started at Warner Bros. three years apart and have been friends and colleagues for decades. He has been with the Studio through incredible periods of growth and change, and has been an important part of that evolution. Through all our years together at Warner Bros., no one was relied upon more, trusted more and respected more than Ed Romano. He will be missed.”
Bob Daly, the chairman and CEO from 1980 to 1999, said, “Ed has been an incredible asset to Warner Bros. for almost 50 years. He really is a company man — in the best sense — and his contributions to Warner Bros. are numerous. While he may be retiring, he’ll always be part of the Warner family.”
During Romano’s tenure, the studio’s revenues grew from $200 million in 1968 to $12.9 billion in 2015. Some of the deals in which Romano has been involved include the acquisition of Warner Hollywood Studios, the 1989 acquisition of Lorimar Television, the acquisition of the Wolper Organization and the formation of the WB Television Network (and subsequently the CW).
Other acquisitions include international TV production companies Shed Media and Eyeworks; multiple interactive game production companies, including TT Games; and the acquisition of Leavesden Studios in the U.K.
Romano has also served as assistant treasurer; controller; VP and controller; and senior VP and controller. He joined Warner Bros. after serving five years at Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co.
