Roku Inc. has recruited A. Louise Pentland, previously a chief counsel at Walt Disney Co., to take over as its general counsel from Stephen Kay, who is set to retire in November. Pentland will start her new role on July 23, marking the second recent high-profile legal departure from Disney. Earlier this year, Deputy General Counsel for Litigation Jill Ratner left Disney to join Sony Pictures Entertainment as general counsel.
Before joining Disney, Pentland held the position of chief business affairs and legal officer for PayPal Holdings Inc., transitioning to an advisory role in 2021. At PayPal, she was recognized as one of the highest-paid legal executives in the industry. Her move to Roku comes at a time when the company is transitioning its legal leadership, with Kay preparing to retire after more than a decade of service. Kay owns shares in Roku valued at nearly $6 million, according to Bloomberg data.
Pentland’s exit follows Disney’s loss of Jill Ratner, who left in April to become general counsel for Sony Pictures Entertainment. Ratner had been with Disney for several years, with the media giant still in the process of filling her vacated position. This trend indicates a potentially challenging period for Disney as it seeks to replace critical legal positions.
Disney has extended the employment contract of its chief legal officer, Horacio Gutierrez, brought on board two years ago to replace Alan Braverman. Gutierrez came from Spotify Technology SA, where he served for six years. Last year, he earned nearly $12 million, making him one of the media industry’s most highly compensated lawyers.
This recent movement within Disney’s legal team underscores the competitive nature of top legal positions within major corporations. For further details on the leadership transition at Roku and Disney, see the full article on Bloomberg Law.