Corii Berg has resigned as general counsel of Lionsgate.
The departure, effective Dec. 20, was announced in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing issued by the Hollywood studio on Tuesday. No reason was given for the resignation, but it’s understood it was Berg’s decision to leave the home of the John Wick franchise.
Associate general counsels Adrian Kuzycz and Randall Jackson and chief ethics and legal compliance officer Rahwa Ghebre-Ab will manage Lionsgate’s legal team on an interim basis. Berg, a former Sony Pictures Entertainment exec, joined Lionsgate in mid-2018 and reported to CEO Jon Feltheimer.
Berg also worked closely with vice chairman Michael Burns, COO Brian Goldsmith and CFO Jimmy Barge as the studio navigated industry consolidation. Lionsgate is currently courting possible suitors as it considers spinning off its studio business.
As the studio also explores its options for Starz, Lionsgate is weighing a possible separation of the pay TV and streaming business and its studio operations. The goal appears to be creating two standalone companies so investors can value the Starz and studio assets separately.
In a separate SEC filing on Tuesday, Lionsgate said CFO Barge had acquired 54,000 shares in the studio that vested as part of an equity compensation package at between $5.63 to $5.70, and at an overall purchase cost of around $306,000.