Hollywood Payroll Firm GreenSlate Shakes Up Leadership

GreenSlate, a Hollywood payroll company that offers software and services to production companies to track payments, process residuals and streamline accounting, is making changes to its C-suite.

John Finn, who founded the Burbank-based company in 2004 after working as a production accountant on projects like Lost in Translation, Pollock and Before Night Falls, is stepping back from his role as CEO of GreenSlate. He’ll serve as exec chair of the company’s board of directors and remain as majority owner of the firm.

Mike Leiba, who has spent 18 years at GreenSlate and currently holds the president and chief operating officer title, will step in to the CEO role. The company also recently added former Village Roadshow CEO Steve Mosko and former United Talent Agency partner David Spingarn to its board.

“Mike’s leadership has been essential to GreenSlate’s consistent growth and success over the last 18 years,” Finn stated of the transition. “As COO and president, he has worked closely with our customers to drive efficient solutions to their toughest challenges. As CEO, he will continue to drive our vision forward, delivering the outstanding service and technological innovation our clients expect. After nearly two decades of collaboration, I know Mike is the right leader to accelerate our growth and deliver ever-greater value to clients.”

The entertainment industry payroll space, led by giants like Cast & Crew (Est. 1976) and Entertainment Partners (also Est. 1976), has seen new tech-driven entrants like Wrapbook (founded in 2018) join the sector as film and TV production has moved increasingly beyond traditional studios and mini-majors. As such, GreenSlate also pitches itself to potential clients as an “alternative to legacy, paper-driven systems that have stifled production efficiency since the 1970s.”

GreenSlate’s touted roster of clients includes Netflix, A24, HBO, Paramount, Skydance, Tyler Perry Studios, Fifth Season, Banijay Americas, The North Road Company, Imagine Entertainment, Hello Sunshine, SpringHill Entertainment, Vice Media and All3Media Americas.

The company, which has 225 employees across three countries, counts private equity firm Francisco Partners as its lead investor, with VSS Capital Partners offering support for its expansion in the payroll space.

Added Leiba as he steps in to the CEO role, “GreenSlate sets the industry standard for both technology and service — this has been the foundation of our success so far and will continue to be in the future. This is how we help productions run their businesses smoothly, save more, make every dollar count, and avoid costly mistakes. As we move into this next phase, I look forward to partnering even more closely with our clients to create even greater opportunities for shared success.”