Starz has appointed longtime Disney executive Jim Kapenstein as its new chief legal and strategy officer, with the move set to take effect next week. Kapenstein will report directly to president and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch, who announced the hire on Monday.
In his new role, Kapenstein will oversee the company’s strategic direction across business and legal affairs. His responsibilities will include distribution, content acquisition, production, litigation, employment matters, and legal and regulatory compliance. He will also play a leading role in corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, while overseeing governance and broader responsibilities tied to Starz’s status as a public company.
Kapenstein is replacing former Starz general counsel Audrey Lee, who recently retired, and former chief strategy officer John Penney. The appointment combines legal and strategy functions under one executive as Starz continues to position itself for its next phase of growth.
Hirsch said Kapenstein’s experience in major media transactions made him a strong fit for the role. He noted that few executives have been involved in as many large-scale deals across the media industry and said Kapenstein’s background would be valuable as Starz advances through a period of transformation.
Kapenstein spent nearly 30 years at Disney, where he most recently served as deputy general counsel. During his tenure, he oversaw mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, antitrust issues, corporate finance, strategic alliances, corporate structuring, governance, and social responsibility matters. His work touched some of Disney’s most significant transactions, including the acquisitions of 21st Century Fox, Hulu, Lucasfilm, Marvel, and Pixar, as well as ESPN’s equity investment with the NFL.
Kapenstein said he was honored to join Starz at a time he described as important in the company’s growth and evolution. He said he looks forward to helping Hirsch and the leadership team guide the next stage of expansion, support disciplined growth, take advantage of market opportunities, and maintain a strong legal and corporate governance framework.
Before joining Disney, Kapenstein began his legal career at Arent & Fox in Washington, D.C., and later worked as a senior associate at Alston & Bird.
The hire brings a seasoned media and entertainment dealmaker to Starz as the company seeks to strengthen its legal, strategic, and corporate oversight while continuing to build on its streaming business.
