Sanford Panitch

Sanford Panitch
Born	Los Angeles, California
Alma mater	Tulane University
Occupation	President, Columbia Pictures
Organization	Motion Picture Academy, Executive Branch Tulane University, Dean's Council Ambassador, Screen Singapore Chapman University (Singapore), Advisory Council Student Voice Project
Board member of	FoxStar Studios (India)
Spouse(s)	Kristen Panitch

Sanford Panitch is an American film industry executive. Appointed president of Columbia Pictures in 2016, Panitch previously founded Fox International Productions, a division of 21st Century Fox.

Panitch was born in Los Angeles, to Hersh Panitch, an entertainment business manager, and Elaine Panitch, a teacher and author. He 1985 he began his college education at Tulane University in New Orleans. During school breaks Panitch interned for New Line Cinema, and as a student he founded Revive Screening to distribute New Line Films at various venues in New Orleans. After graduating from Tulane with a degree in Political Science, Panitch sold the company and returned to Los Angeles.

Panitch began his career in 1989. In 1995, he was named Executive Vice President of Production at 20th Century Fox. In 2008, recognizing the growth of international box office and seeing the large percentage of market share for locally produced films, Panitch founded Fox International Productions. He served as its president until April 2015, when he joined Sony Pictures as president of international film and television. In June 2016 he was named President of Columbia Pictures.

Panitch and his wife, interior designer Kristen Panitch, live in Santa Monica, California. They have two children. He has served as an adjunct professor at Tulane, where he taught a class on creative writing.

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