The Academy is in it for the long haul with Chief Executive Officer Bill Kramer.
On Monday, June 24, the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that the CEO who came into office post-Slap and has gotten the Oscars back on track, with ratings up two years in a row (and without any major scandals!), will continue his role through at least July 2028.
The official announcement even made a point of noting that Kramer, whose contract was actually not up for renewal until next year, got the good news a year early, due to his exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the Academy.
“Bill is a dynamic and transformational leader, and the Board of Governors agrees he is the ideal person to continue to broaden the Academy’s reach and impact on our international film community and successfully guide the organization into our next 100 years,” said Academy President Janet Yang via statement.
Kramer’s contract renewal seals the deal on him being in charge long enough to see through the 100th Oscars and everything surrounding it that the Academy has planned so far. This includes the recently announced $500 million Academy100 campaign, designed to expand the Academy’s worldwide scope, ensure its future success, and connect audiences through their shared love of cinema.
Kramer, who first joined the Academy in 2012, came into prominence within the organization after being named the director of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in January 2020, spearheading its long-awaited opening in 2021. Shortly after that success, he was tapped to be CEO of the Academy in June 2022.
As far as his day-to-day duties, Kramer will continue to oversee all aspects of the Academy and its more than 700 employees in Los Angeles, New York, and London. He will also continue to lead the expansion and engagement of the Academy’s global membership, all awards programs, including the Oscars, the institution’s education and emerging talent initiatives, the Academy’s extensive collection and preservation initiatives, and its ongoing calendar of screenings and public programs.
In terms of overall goals during his tenure, the announcement says Kramer’s “commitment to driving meaningful change for the global film community is unwavering. He will continue to champion the Academy’s initiatives to provide opportunities for underrepresented communities to engage in the film industry, including producing programming that highlights often marginalized voices and stories, diversifying the Academy’s membership, and implementing robust accessibility and sustainability programs.”
