Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob to receive Legend of Cinema Award

Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob will receive the Legend of Cinema Award from Cinema United at an industry event in April, and he plans to retire at the end of the year.

Ellis Jacob, the long-serving CEO of Cineplex, will receive the Legend of Cinema Award from industry group Cinema United at an event in April. The award has only been given once before, to Martin Scorsese in 2023. Jacob is retiring at the end of the year after decades in the cinema business. Key details: - The Legend of Cinema Award will be presented by Cinema United and was previously awarded in 2023 to filmmaker Martin Scorsese; it is not presented on a set annual schedule. - Jacob will receive the award in April and has said he feels honoured to be joining Scorsese as a recipient. - Jacob was born in Calcutta in 1953, came to Canada in 1969, worked in the auto sector and at Motorola, then entered film exhibition in the 1980s; he co-founded Galaxy Cinemas in 1999 and became CEO of the merged Cineplex Galaxy in 2003. - Under his leadership, Cineplex opened adult-only VIP theatres and Rec Room gaming and dining venues, and launched the Scene Card loyalty program, which the article reports has more than 11 million members. - The company has increased the share of international content at its box office from about 2% before the pandemic to more than 10% more recently. - Cineplex has faced corporate challenges in recent years, including the failed Cineworld purchase that led to a US$1 billion judgment for breach of contract, a $39-million fine related to online booking fees with an appeal denied by the Federal Court of Appeal, and a weak fourth-quarter profit reported at $369,000. Summary: The award is a rare, international recognition added to Jacob's long career in exhibition and company leadership, and the presentation is scheduled for April. Cineplex continues to manage legal and financial matters while Jacob prepares to retire at year-end, and the company has announced plans to pursue further appeals.