CHAIRMAN & CEO

Rob Friedman is one of the leading executives and entrepreneurs in the entertainment industry. Rob served as Co-Chairman of Lionsgate MPG following their acquisition of Summit Entertainment, a company he founded and built into a leading motion picture production and distribution company. During his tenure, Lionsgate became the first studio outside the majors to generate over $1 billion at the US box office, a feat it repeated two years in a row. Lionsgate also notably received the highest number of Academy Award nominations in his final year of leadership at the studio — 26 in total — with six wins for La La Land and two for Hacksaw Ridge.

Rob began his career at Warner Bros, where he worked his way up from the mailroom to the President of Worldwide Advertising and Publicity. In 1997, he moved to Paramount Pictures as Vice Chairman of Paramount MPG, adding the role of COO, and creating Paramount’s specialty film division, Paramount Classics.

Rob is currently a member of the Executive Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He is a longtime leader in the Special Olympics movement, serving on the Special Olympics’ Southern California Board for the past 30 years. He currently serves on the boards of United Friends of the Children, UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television, International Medical Corps, Saban Community Clinic, and Curtis School.

VP, DEVELOPMENT 

Alison Lani Genest is a film and television executive and producer with a sharp eye for compelling narratives and a proven ability to shepherd scripted projects from concept to completion. With experience spanning television, film, new media, and music video production, she brings a rigorous creative sensibility and a strategic approach to development, including story refinement, project evaluation, contract negotiation, and market analysis.

Prior to joining Ascendant, Alison served as a Creative Executive at Fisher Stevens’ Insurgent Media. Earlier in her career, she developed and produced music video content at Moving Box Studios for artists including The Chainsmokers, Tiësto, and Galantis. Before moving behind the camera, Alison built a background as a performer in regional theater, commercials, film, and television, an experience that continues to inform her collaborative, creator-first approach to development.