Lucasfilm has announced that Kathleen Kennedy will become co-chair of the company, as George Lucas begins to plan for his retirement. Lucas will co-chair the board of Lucasfilm and continue as chief executive officer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.Micheline Chau will remain as president and chief operations officer of Lucasfilm, focusing on the day-to-day operations of the business.
Kennedy, who has produced many of Steven Spielberg's movies, will step down from the Kennedy/Marshall Company, the production company she heads with her husband Frank Marshall.
Kennedy and Lucas worked together most recently on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), where Kennedy served as executive producer.
"I've spend my life building Lucasfilm, and as I shift my focus into other directions, I wanted to make sure it was in the hands of someone equipped to carry my vision into the future," said Lucas in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "It was important that my successor not only be someone with great creative passion and proven leadership abilities, but also someone who loves movies...As the company grows and expands I wanted to be sure the employees of Lucasfilm have a strong captain for the ship."