Cinema United used this week’s Fall Summit in Los Angeles to announce several leadership changes, most significantly that longtime CinemaCon Managing Director Mitch Neuhauser will retire following the 2028 show. Matt Pollock, who has worked alongside Neuhauser for nearly two decades, becomes co-managing director immediately and will take over the lead role after Neuhauser departs on 30 June 2028.

That’s an unusually long runway which is arguably necessary. Neuhauser has been closely identified with CinemaCon since helping transform ShoWest into the association-owned event in 2011, and announcing Pollock’s succession nearly two shows in advance removes any uncertainty around one of the exhibition industry’s most important annual gatherings.

Cinema United also promoted Amanda Martin from chief of staff to the newly created role of SVP, External Affairs, where she will oversee advocacy, strategic partnerships and educational programming, while Erin Von Hoetzendorff becomes VP, Membership and Global Affairs with an expanded mandate covering international exhibitors.

Those moves suggest the association is strengthening more than its internal management structure. Advocacy, global membership and industry partnerships have all become more central to Cinema United’s remit in recent years, particularly as the organization has sought a broader role beyond its traditional focus on domestic exhibition.

Meanwhile, Margot Robbie and Jason Blum joined Cinema United’s Filmmaker Leadership Council, alongside Jerry Bruckheimer, Emma Thomas, Ryan Coogler, Brad Bird, Jason Reitman and Celine Song. These announcements look less like routine personnel changes than an effort to put the pieces in place for Cinema United’s growth, including an orderly CinemaCon succession, a wider international reach and closer ties between exhibitors and filmmakers.