By Lisa Beilfuss
AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. (AMC), the country's
second-largest movie theater chain, said Tuesday that Chief
Executive Gerry Lopez will resign effective next month.
Mr. Lopez, who took the helm in 2009 after spending time at
Starbucks Corp. (SBUX), is leaving to pursue another opportunity,
AMC said. His departure is effective Aug. 6.
The board has appointed Chief Financial Officer Craig Ramsey as
interim CEO and has formed a search committee to find a permanent
replacement.
Lloyd Hill, audit committee chairman who is leading the CEO
search, said Mr. Lopez took on the role "at a critical point in our
history six years ago when AMC was in need of a strategic refocus."
Mr. Lopez said he plans to bring his "passion for strategic refocus
to another industry."
AMC, based in Kansas and acquired in 2012 by China's Dalian
Wanda Group, went public in 2013 after having put off initial
public offering plans several times.
Over the past 12 months, shares in the company have soared
45%.
Write to Lisa Beilfuss at lisa.beilfuss@wsj.com
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