Leadership Restructuring at Global Entertainment Giant
RWS Global, a world leader in live experiences across entertainment and sports, has announced a significant executive leadership transition. Founder, Chairman and CEO Ryan Stana will move to the role of Executive Chairman, while current Chief Operating Officer Jake McCoy has been appointed Interim CEO. The transition was announced with support from Bluestone Equity Partners, RWS Global's minority investor, and the company's Board of Directors.
The leadership change comes as RWS Global continues its expansion trajectory after 23 years under Stana's guidance. The company now produces over one million live moments daily and employs more than 8,000 people worldwide, working with blue-chip clients including Apple, Carnival, The Coca-Cola Company, FIFA, Merlin Entertainments, NFL, and Warner Bros.
Strategic Focus on Operational Excellence
Under the new structure, Stana will concentrate on long-term strategy, vision and new growth frontiers, while McCoy focuses on operational excellence and day-to-day execution. RWS Global is headquartered across multiple global locations including New York, London, Cincinnati, Shanghai, Orlando, Sydney, and Riyadh, with dedicated studios in New York and the UK.
"Jake has been instrumental in our growth and is the right leader for RWS Global today," said Stana. "I have had the privilege of guiding the business through significant growth and M&A with a clear focus on building for the future. The priority now is ensuring the right leadership is in place to sustain that momentum."
McCoy's Journey from Production Manager to CEO
McCoy brings more than a decade of experience at RWS Global, having started as a production manager and played a key role in building the company's operational infrastructure. As COO, he led global expansion initiatives and operational excellence across land, sea and sports production. In 2022, he relocated to the UK to establish the company's presence there and will remain based in the UK.
"Throughout my time at RWS Global, I've had the opportunity to work closely with Ryan and help build nearly every part of the business," said McCoy. "I'm humbled and excited to lead the team into its next phase—combining creative excellence with operational rigor to scale the brand globally."
Expanded Leadership Structure
To support the transition, Chief Financial Officer Chris Lucarz has been appointed Interim President & CFO, with expanded oversight of financial performance, operations, and business discipline. The search for a permanent CEO is underway and is being led by Bluestone Equity Partners.
The broader leadership team includes Chief Creative Officer Craig Laurie, Chief of Staff Meghan Murphy, and Chief Growth Officer Veronica Hart, who formerly worked at Paramount Global. Bobby Sharma, Founder & Managing Partner of Bluestone Equity Partners, expressed confidence in the leadership evolution and the company's continued growth trajectory.
Based on reporting by Event Industry News. Read the original article.