Christine Simmons is no longer the chief operating officer of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, effective Friday, an individual with knowledge of the situation tells The Hollywood Reporter.
Simmons joined the Academy as COO in 2018. The group hadn’t had someone in the role since 2013, when Ric Robertson resigned as COO. Simmons was responsible for the day-to-day management and enhancement of the Academy’s internal organization and infrastructure, with focus on the Academy Foundation, comprising the Margaret Herrick Library, Academy Film Archive, its educational programs and the Science and Technology Council.
It is unclear whether Simmons was let go or whether she decided to leave on her own accord.
Prior to becoming president and COO of the Los Angeles Sparks, Simmons served as executive vp of Magic Johnson Enterprises, where she led the day-to-day operations of the Sparks throughout the team’s first season. Before working at MJE, she held senior positions managing and expanding supplier diversity at both Disney and NBCUniversal.
Additionally, Bill Kramer is set to take up his new CEO post on Friday instead of his scheduled July 18 start date — July 1 marks the beginning of AMPAS’ new fiscal year.
Kramer was announced as the new CEO in June. Kramer was associated with the Academy Museum from its earliest stages. As the museum’s managing director of development and external relations starting in 2012, he raised $250 million to help get the project underway but left after his ambition for a greater role in the museum’s oversight was not forthcoming. But things did not work out with the initial museum director, Kerry Brougher, and Kramer was recruited to return in that role in 2019. Kramer is replacing Dawn Hudson, the Academy’s first female CEO, after an 11-year run with the organization.
