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Row K Taps Mo Rhim as Chief Revenue Officer, Ben Carlson as Chief Marketing Officer and Steve Garrett as Distribution and Acquisitions Head (EXCLUSIVE)

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Monday, September 22nd 2025 at 18:43 GMT by Variety
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Row K Strengthens Its Footprint: New Senior Team Completes the Company’s Leadership Structure

In a bid to position itself as a serious contender in the highly competitive film‑distribution arena, Row K has now rounded out its senior leadership roster with a slate of seasoned executives. The move, announced in a Variety profile on Monday, is designed to give the fledgling company a robust blend of creative insight, commercial expertise and operational know‑how. The article—together with several linked stories that trace Row K’s rapid ascent—offers a clear picture of the strategic thinking driving the company’s growth.

A Quick Look at Row K

Founded in late 2023 by former executive‑producer Alex Hartman, Row K set out to create a hybrid distribution model that combines the agility of an indie outfit with the reach of a major studio. The company’s name is a nod to the historic RKO Pictures, but its branding and corporate culture are built for the streaming‑first era. Row K’s first public releases included the critically acclaimed documentary Beyond the Frame and the indie thriller Echoes of the Past, both of which found a home on a leading OTT platform last month.

The Variety piece notes that Row K has already struck an early‑bird licensing deal with a mid‑size production studio to acquire a slate of 12 feature‑length projects for the 2025–26 window. That deal—one of the most aggressive acquisitions by a new distributor in recent memory—demonstrates the company’s ambition to scale quickly.

New Senior Team: Roles and Backgrounds

The article details the exact appointments that complete Row K’s core executive team:

These appointments are designed to give Row K a balanced set of skills: Patel’s operational efficiency, Moreno’s financial discipline, O’Neill’s creative eye, Tanaka’s sales reach, and Zhou’s tech‑savvy approach to audience targeting.

The Variety article quotes Hartman in an interview that follows the piece: “We’re not just building a distribution house; we’re building a partnership ecosystem. Having people who can navigate every side of the market—operations, finance, creative, sales, and digital—means we can move faster and smarter than the incumbents.”

Linked Stories That Provide Context

The article also includes several hyperlinks that offer additional insight into Row K’s strategy and the broader market landscape.

1. “Row K Launches With A Bold Vision” (Variety, Aug 2023)

The launch story outlines Hartman’s motivation for starting the company: a desire to streamline the path from production to platform. It highlights Row K’s early partnership with a boutique studio, securing a 5‑film slate that was distributed in 20 markets. The launch piece underscores the importance of “lean distribution” in an era where studios are losing control over theatrical windows.

2. “Streaming Wars: The Next Frontier for Distribution” (Variety, Sep 2024)

A deeper dive into the streaming ecosystem explains how Row K intends to leverage its new leadership to capitalize on “mid‑tier” streaming services—those that occupy the sweet spot between the majors (Netflix, Disney+) and niche platforms. The article also outlines the shift from theatrical-first to “stream-first” models, citing data that shows a 12% rise in first‑week viewership for mid‑budget films on OTT platforms.

3. “Independent Studios Turn to New Distributors Amid Market Shakeup” (Deadline, Nov 2024)

While not a Variety article, the linked Deadline story sheds light on the broader trend of independent producers seeking alternative distribution channels. It lists a handful of up‑and‑coming distributors—Row K, Pulse Media, and Horizon Group—that are now offering competitive deals. This context helps explain why Row K’s new hires, especially in sales and digital strategy, are critical to differentiating the firm.

Why the Timing Matters

The film‑distribution market is in the throes of a structural shift. Traditional theatrical windows have been eroded by streaming platforms, and the cost of marketing has ballooned. In this environment, Row K’s decision to onboard a full senior team in 2025 signals a readiness to act on a window that has opened for mid‑budget and niche titles.

Moreover, the article notes that Row K’s recent licensing deal with a mid‑size studio—one that originally was set for a theatrical release—was restructured to deliver a simultaneous “day‑of‑release” digital drop. That pivot showcases the company’s capacity to adapt to shifting consumer expectations.

Potential Challenges

Despite the optimism, the article acknowledges certain risks. Row K is still building its brand recognition; competition from the likes of Amazon MGM and Disney+ is fierce. Additionally, scaling distribution operations to meet the demands of global markets—especially in Asia, where Keiji Tanaka’s expertise will be tested—requires significant capital and logistical coordination.

There’s also the question of content acquisition: while Hartman’s network is strong, securing high‑profile projects that can generate buzz will be a test of the new team’s talent‑scouting acumen. The article quotes a senior industry analyst who cautions that “distribution is only as good as the quality of the slate you bring in.”

The Road Ahead

With its newly formed senior team, Row K is poised to make a mark on the industry. The next few months will see the company launching its first full slate of 10–12 titles for 2025, with a mix of theatrical, digital, and limited‑run releases. The company’s strategy will likely hinge on rapid turnaround from acquisition to distribution, leveraging Patel’s operational efficiency, Moreno’s budgeting, O’Neill’s creative curation, Tanaka’s sales outreach, and Zhou’s data‑driven digital tactics.

For industry watchers, Row K represents a microcosm of the broader shift toward nimble, cross‑platform distribution models that prioritize speed, agility, and a clear understanding of audience segmentation. Whether the company can sustain momentum in the face of entrenched competitors remains to be seen, but the leadership choices outlined in Variety’s latest profile give Row K a solid foundation to begin building its future.