Former senator to step down this fall before contract expires; former U.S. ambassador to lead group with increasingly global reach

Former U.S. Ambassador Charles Rivkin, left, will lead MPAA after Chris Dodd, right, departs late this year.

Chris Dodd is leaving the $74 million-revenue Motion Picture Association of America this fall, after nearly seven years as CEO. He will be replaced Sept. 5 by Charles Rivkin, a former industry executive and former assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs, according to an MPAA statement. The two will work together to complete a transition by year end.

Dodd turns 73 this month, and a source told the Los Angeles Times that he was ready to retire. However, Dodd renewed his contract with MPAA for a three-year term just two years ago, CEO Update reported at the time.

The Democrat and former U.S. senator from Connecticut for 30 years won praise for working well with his former colleagues in Congress, expanding access to China and helping the industry move into the digital age, with an emphasis on copyright protection.

However, he was unable to bring the fractious sector together in 2014 to issue a statement following the hacking and release of confidential data from of Sony Pictures. MPAA represents the six major movie studios.

The LA Times reported that the decision to leave was mutual, but that some studio executives were unhappy with his performance. MPAA needs unanimous support from all six members before staking out public policy positions, which critics see as inefficient. Members also have questioned the cost of running the association and its 216 staff.

But the six studio heads lauded Dodd in the MPAA statement.

"Chris has transformed the MPAA into a global association for the digital era and dramatically increased access around the world for U.S. films and television programming," said Alan Horn, Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios.

Dodd told The Washington Post it was the right time to leave.

"I feel good about it," Dodd told The Post. "I've known Charlie (Rivkin) a long time, I've enjoyed it, and it's time to move on. And we've done a lot of good stuff."

China, China, China
Dodd cited expansion overseas: The studios reached agreements in 2012 and 2015 with the Chinese government to open that country's market, and signed 20 memorandums of understanding with foreign governments under his tenure, according to the MPAA statement.

"As some of my studio heads would say, if you ask them what their chief major goals are, they'll say, ‘China, China and China,'" he told The Post. "Trade issues will be critically important."

That would seem to be in the wheelhouse for Rivkin, the former assistant secretary of state and ambassador to France and Monaco. Rivkin was an entertainment industry CEO for 20 years as CEO of The Jim Henson Company and WildBrain.

"In today's digital world, the mission and function of the MPAA are more important than ever," said Rivkin said in the MPAA statement.

"Chris has done a great job, and I'm excited to work with the member studios to continue to expand the global market for entertainment content, while ensuring creators' rights are respected around the world," Rivkin said.

Dodd was paid $3.5 million in 2015, according to the latest tax filings available.