Sony Pictures Taps Charles Sipkins To Head Corporate PR

Charles Sipkins had worked with several media companies in his role at crisis PR firm Sard Verbinnen, including advising for Yahoo and Peter Chernin. Now he will become senior communications executive at Sony Pictures Entertainment and report directly to SPE co-heads Michael Lynton and Amy Pascal. A Sony spokesman said today Sipkins will oversee all aspects of the company’s corporate communications and the existing SPE team. Variety reported the news first. Sony Pictures has been in the news all summer fending off Third Point hedge fund CEO Daniel Loeb, who criticized SPE for poor box office performances from titles like After Earth and White House Down among other things and wanted parent Sony to spin off its entertainment assets. Sony didn’t budge and Loeb later backed off.