Jesse Sisgold is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Skydance Media. He joined the company as President of Business Affairs and Strategic Planning in 2014; was promoted to the company’s Chief Operating Officer that same year; and was promoted again to President in 2016. During this time, Jesse has played a pivotal role in Skydance’s evolution from film financier to leading next-generation motion picture, television, and VR game studio, increasing its team and capacity seven times over.
As President and Chief Operating Officer of Skydance Media, Sisgold helps to set and execute the overall corporate strategy and growth plan for the company, while managing key operations across all units. He also oversees the following divisions: business affairs and business development, interactive and virtual reality, international acquisitions and sales, licensing, and studio facilities and administration. In 2017, Sisgold helped oversee Skydance’s formation of an animation division to develop and produce a slate of high-end feature films and television series in partnership with Spain’s Ilion Animation Studios. In 2016, he helped to lead Skydance’s first acquisition – of leading game developer The Workshop Entertainment – to form Skydance Interactive. Also, in 2016, he helped to secure a $700 million recapitalization to enable continued growth and expansion, and established Skydance’s first China film co-production with Alibaba Pictures. Sisgold oversaw the formation of Skydance’s global television distribution pact with Lionsgate in 2015, which resulted in the launch of Skydance International. In 2015-2016, he
oversaw the company’s global film distribution and co-financing pacts with Paramount, Sony, and Warner Bros., as well as distribution and co-production pacts for its current television series with ABC, Amazon, AMC, AT&T Audience Network and Netflix. Jesse was recognized on Variety’s “Dealmakers Impact Report” in 2015 and 2016.
Prior to joining Skydance, Sisgold served as the managing shareholder of his own boutique entertainment and venture capital law firm and launched the graphic novel and augmented reality company Anomaly Productions. He began his career at Heller Ehrman LLP focusing on Silicon Valley ventures. Sisgold serves as a board member of UCLA’s Institute of Environmental Sustainability and Angels at Risk. He was named to Variety’s 2015 and 2016 Dealmaker’s Impact Report and is a regular speaker at media and technology conferences such as CES, Variety’s Summit, Digital Entertainment World, and Digital Hollywood. Jesse holds a J.D. with honors from the University of California, Hastings and a B.A. with honors from the University of California, San Diego.
