Greg Hessinger, a former executive director of the Screen Actors Guild, has been named the third-ever chief executive of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
Hessinger will take responsibility for negotiating dozens of labor agreements on behalf of the major Hollywood studios. The contracts with the Directors Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA are up for bargaining next year.
In a statement, Hessinger said he was “deeply honored to step into this role at the AMPTP during such a pivotal time for our industry.”
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Hessinger will answer to a coalition of legacy studios and streamers whose interests do not always align, as they seek to navigate the digital transition and wrestle with the labor implications of artificial intelligence.
The industry is still struggling to bounce back from the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which effectively shut down production for six months in 2023. Though he was not a direct participant in those talks, Hessinger did offer legal advice to the AMPTP at the time.
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The AMPTP said it conducted an extensive search, and settled on Hessinger due his “extensive track record of bringing parties together to find common ground” and his deep relationships and experience on both sides of the table.
“I’ve spent my entire career working to create and sustain opportunity in entertainment and media, and I look forward to partnering with our Member Companies and union leaders to ensure the hard-working individuals who drive our industry forward can continue to create inspiring content for audiences around the world,” Hessinger said.
Jeff Ruthizer, a former senior VP of labor relations at ABC, negotiated across the table from Hessinger in the early 2000s, and recalled him as a “very strong” negotiator who knew how to get to a deal.
“He’s a no-nonsense guy, very personable,” said Ruthizer, author of the memoir “Labor Pains.” “He’s going to be a wonderful asset for the AMPTP. It’s great for not just the employer side, but for the entire industry.”
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA, called Hessinger an “experienced negotiator” with “extensive knowledge of the industry.”
“We look forward to productive bargaining with him as we continue to represent and advance the interests of all performers,” Crabtree-Ireland said.
Hessinger succeeds Carol Lombardini, who has led the organization since 2009 and who announced her retirement last fall. Lombardini will stay on as an adviser.
“I am grateful to have worked with so many talented studio executives and respected union representatives to help our industry solve workplace problems,” Lombardini said. “I have no doubt that Greg is the perfect leader to continue to unite our industry and promote opportunity for those who bring entertainment to life.”
Crabtree-Ireland also offered a tribute to Lombardini on her way out, saying she had “given decades of service and broke ground as the first female lead negotiator for the employers.”
“We wish her well as she steps into an advisory role with the AMPTP,” he said.
Hessinger starts on April 14. He is currently chair of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, a law firm with a significant labor and employment practice.
He started his entertainment career at CBS, where he was director of labor relations in the 1990s, before joining the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the union that represented broadcast performers. As executive director of the organization, he pushed for a merger with the Screen Actors Guild in 2003. The proposal fell short of the required support among SAG members. (The two unions finally merged in 2012.)
In 2005, Hessinger was named national executive director of SAG. He was ousted six months later, after the insurgent Membership First faction of the union took control of the national board, and pushed for a more hardline stance in negotiations.
Hessinger went on to work for law firms in Philadelphia and New York. According to his bio on the MSK website, he defended corporate clients from unfair labor practices charges and helped a regional sports network defeat two unionization drives.
Yakub Hazzard, the vice chair of MSK, will take over as the firm’s chair.
The DGA, which traditionally has gone first in labor talks, announced Tuesday that Jon Avnet and Karen Gaviola will serve as chair and vice chair of the 2026 negotiating committee. Both served as co-chairs of the committee in 2023.
“In these challenging times, it’s hard to believe that we are already gearing up for the next round of negotiations with the studios,” said Lesli Linka Glatter, the union’s president, in a statement.
