Mitch Neuhauser, the longtime managing director of CinemaCon and its prior iteration ShoWest, will leave from the role after the 2028 show.
Cinema United announced Neuhauser’s departure on Tuesday and said Matt Pollock will immediately assume the role of co-managing director of CinemaCon as the transition process begins.
Neuhauser, a passionate and quirky presence on the circuit, began his career in 1981 at Sunshine Group Worldwide and became vice president following the company’s purchase in 1998, overseeing ShowEast, Cinema Expo, CineAsia, and later ShoWest.
The executive joined Cinema United (formerly National Association of Theatre Owners) in 2009 and spearheaded the transition from ShoWest to CinemaCon in 2011. He served on the board of the Will Rogers Motion Pictures Pioneers Foundation. His final day will be June 30, 2028.
Cinema United president and CEO Michael O’Leary said, “It is impossible to overstate what Mitch means to Cinema United and the entire exhibition community. He is synonymous with CinemaCon, and it simply would not have become the spectacular event that it is without him. Mitch loves this industry, the people in exhibition and the studios, and the experience of seeing a movie in a theatre. His vision and leadership will be missed, but I want to join everyone in the entertainment industry in congratulating him on an amazing career.”
Neuhauser said, “Working in this incredible industry for the past 45 years has been the dream of a lifetime, capped off by bringing CinemaCon to fruition in 2011. Our industry is unlike any other. We bring people together from all around the world, and that has inspired me across all these years. Knowing that Michael O’Leary and Cinema United are also recognising the important contributions of Matt Pollock, who I’ve worked with for almost two decades, gives me great satisfaction. CinemaCon, Cinema United and the global theatrical industry will be in great hands when the baton is passed in 2028.”
O’Leary added, “Matt is the perfect choice to assume this important role. He has all the qualities necessary to ensure that CinemaCon continues to grow and evolve into the future.”
The 2027 edition will take place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from April 12-15.
Earlier on Tuesday, Cinema United announced that it had promoted two executives to bolster its advocacy and global impact work. Amanda Martin, who has served as chief of staff since joining in 2023, assumes the new role of SVP, external affairs and will grow the organisation’s relationships with partner groups, coalitions and stakeholders central in exhibition business, and oversee the state government affairs function.
Erin Von Hoetzendorff is promoted to vice president, membership and global affairs. She will continue as head of membership services, a function she has carried out since joining in 2018, and will lead Cinema United’s expanded engagement with international cinema owners.
Separately on Tuesday, it emerged that Margot Robbie and Jason Blum have joined the Filmmaker Leadership Council led by Jerry Bruckheimer and Emma Thomas to champion the future of cinema worldwide.
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