Sony Pictures TV veteran Richard Parsons stepping down

Richard Parsons

Richard Parsons, chief operating officer, international productions, at Sony Pictures Television, is stepping down after more than a decade with the company.

Parsons’ departure is amicable and it was his decision to leave, a person familiar with the matter told TBI, with the exec expected to exit the company at the end of next month. His role will not be replaced.

Parsons joined Sony in November 2012 as SVP of corporate business and legal affairs, international production, to manage deal executions on acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic partnerships.

He was later promoted to EVP in 2018 to take oversight of all operational and commercial matters affecting the group’s portfolio of production companies, which include Doctor Who producer Bad Wolf, Sex Education firm Eleven, The Crown’s Left Bank Pictures, Blueprint Television, Fable Pictures, Eleventh Hour Films, Stellify Media and Whisper.

Before joining Sony, Parsons served as a consultant for the UK media legal practice Wiggin LLP. He previously held the position of chief counsel at Shine Group and, prior to that, was the director of corporate finance and legal affairs at BBC Worldwide (now BBC Studios).

During his time at BBC Worldwide he helped set up the company’s content & production division, working on the establishment of joint ventures and wholly owned production companies in the UK, France, Germany, Argentina, Canada, India, Russia and Australia.

Sony declined to comment on Parsons’ departure.