Gregory Hessinger to Replace Carol Lombardini at AMPTP As Hollywood’s Top Negotiator With Labor

For the first time in 15 years, the powerful but discreet organization that negotiates union contracts on behalf of Hollywood’s major studios and streamers has named a new leader.

Gregory Hessinger has been selected to helm the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers as former president Carol Lombardini steps into an advisory position. The change marks a post-strikes shakeup for the Sherman Oaks-based organization, which was formed in 1982 out of the merger of two previously separate employer groups in an attempt to present a more unified front and reduce the likelihood of industry work stoppages.

Hessinger, who will be based in Los Angeles, starts on April 14.

The attorney is a well-known figure in the entertainment labor world, having worked on both sides of the bargaining table in industry negotiations. Since 2016, Hessinger has represented employers as a partner at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, a firm that has deep ties to the entertainment industry and the AMPTP in particular. Prior to that, he worked in private practice as a partner at employment and labor specialist firm Curley, Hessinger & Johnsrud, which has since merged with Duane Morris.

Hessinger got his start in entertainment at Westinghouse Broadcasting Company and CBS, where he became director of labor relations. He later was appointed the national executive director for the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) in 2000, before it merged with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). In 2005, SAG named Hessinger its CEO and national executive director, though that appointment didn’t last long — amid internal political battles and debate about whether or not to merge SAG and AFTRA (a move Hessinger supported), the national board fired Hessinger after only six months on the job. SAG and AFTRA later merged in 2012.

Hessinger obtained his law degree from St. John’s University School of Law in New York and an undergraduate degree from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania.

“Greg has been on both sides of the table and knows entertainment inside and out, and is the right leader for our industry at this moment,” a spokesperson for the AMPTP board of directors said in a statement on Tuesday. “He understands the priorities and values of those who make production possible, and has an extensive track record of bringing parties together to find common ground. We conducted an exhaustive search process and have the utmost confidence that his experience and deep relationships will be invaluable to the work of leading the AMPTP.”

Hessinger will take over the organization and oversee the roughly 60 collective bargaining agreements it helps negotiate at a time of breakneck change in the industry, as a contraction in the business is squeezing workers and major companies are exploring the creative (and cost-cutting) possibilities offered by AI. In his new role, he will doubtless be dealing with the aftereffects of the 2023 double strike of writers and actors, which thrust the often-secretive AMPTP into the spotlight.

His appointment will also see him attempt to find consensus among the leaders and negotiators of various AMPTP member companies, which compete against one another and don’t always see eye to eye.

In a statement, Hessinger said he was “deeply honored” to lead the AMPTP at a “pivotal” moment in the business. “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,” he said.

Lombardini, who officially announced her retirement in the fall of 2024, has been with the AMPTP since its inception in 1982. As president since 2009, she presided over a largely peaceful period for the organization that was broken by 2023’s strikes. In a statement, Lombardini said the role had been an “honor.” She added, “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.”