ABOUT LISA
Lisa Ellis is an American businesswoman, whom is the Managing Partner of Provenance Ventures, a holding company for Provenance Media, a television and digital content development and production company, and also Provenance Films, a feature film development and production company.
Ellis is also the Global Head of Music and a Member of the Executive Management team of SoundCloud, Ltd, a digital service provider based in Berlin, Germany.
Provenance, founded by Ellis, is an integrated multimedia production and entertainment company that creates, develops, and produces content to be distributed across a variety of platforms including film, broadcast television, cable, digital media, and emerging entertainment technological platforms.
Lisa is one of the Founding Operating Partners at Fireman Capital Partners. At Fireman Capital Partners, Ms. Ellis was part of a firm that focuses on high growth luxury consumer products, fashion and sports brands, and consumer retail. At FCP, Lisa rejoined her former employer and colleague, Paul Fireman, Reebok’s founder and former Chairman and CEO. In addition to working closely on evaluating and managing FCP’s investments, Lisa played a leadership role in shaping the strategic vision of the firm and building out its initial platforms.
“Lisa’s business acumen, her credibility in the marketplace – with social and business leaders alike – gives Fireman Capital and our various investments a unique access to a world of opportunity. Lisa is altruistic in every sense of the word and we are proud to have her as our partner”, says Paul Fireman. Her day-to-day responsibilities involved the operational decision making of investments of over 150 Million. Such Operational diligence included: evaluation of companies marketing and media expenditures and creative, evaluation of P&L and balance sheets, interpretation of income statements, and reinvestment into brand and product development. These investments included: Hudson Jeans, Pilla Eyewear, Serena & Lilly, and Evolution Fresh Juices, which was sold in December 2011 to Starbucks. Fireman Capital Partners has 30 employees, two consumer funds of $500M+ each, and is based in Boston.
From 1995 until 2010, Ms. Ellis Was a music executive at Sony Music Entertainment, where she began as a Regional Promotion Manager for Columbia Records.
She left the company in 2010 to join Fireman Capital Partners after a 15 year career at the company rising to Executive Vice President, Sony Music Label Group for SONY CORPORATION.
At SME, she reported directly to Sony Music Entertainment CEO, Rob Stringer. In addition to overall label creative and operational management for both Columbia Records and Epic Records, Lisa also oversaw all labels digital business and initiatives. Sony Music Label Group, in 2010, had $900M in gross revenues, and 900 employees.
Prior, while at Sony Music, Ms Ellis also held the position as President and General Manager of Sony Urban Music from March 2004 until December 2006. During her tenure at the company she rose through the ranks, working closely in all aspects of the company and through multiple divisions managing much of the Sony Music Label Group’s day-to-day strategic planning that included Sony ATV Publishing, marketing, promotion, A&R, and licensing. During her role as Executive Vice President she had a particular emphasis on broadening the growth of the company in the digital business in response to technological changes in the industry. Lisa signed and helped to build the careers of artists such as: Beyonce and Destiny’s Child, John Legend, John Mayer, Nas, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, Maxwell, Three 6 Mafia, and lead the team at Columbia Records on the return of Prince in 2006 with the album Musicology. She led her division to over 110 Grammy nominations, 5 Golden Globe Nominations, and in 2006 the Academy Award For “Beat Original Song for a Motion Picture” by Three 6 Mafia for the song “Hard Out Here For A Pimp” from the film HUSTLE & FLOW, and following up in the next year dominating the same category with 3 of the 4 nominations from the soundtrack for DREAMGIRLS, which her division led to over 7 million copies sold worldwide.
Prior to her career at Sony Music, from 1990-1992, Ms. Ellis worked at the Pepsi-Cola Company as Marketing Manager, where she also worked as an intern during college in both Entertainment Marketing and Public Relations. In 1991, she recruited to CBS Radio / Infinity Broadcasting (WPGC in Washington, DC) as Promotions and Marketing Director, a position she held until becoming Sports Marketing Manager for Reebok International in 1993, where she worked with Founder and CEO, Paul Fireman and his son, Dan Fireman for the first time before rejoining them at Fireman Capital many years later.
The recipient of numerous Music industry awards, Ms. Ellis was named the Street Information Network’s (S.I.N.) Local Promotion Manager of the Year (1996) and Crossover Executive of the Year (1998, 1999); R&R’s Crossover Executive of the Year (1998) and Rhythm-Crossover Executive of the Year (1999); Gavin’s Promotion Executive of the Year (1998, 1999); and FMQB’s Crossover Executive of the Year (1999). In 2000, Ms. Ellis was given the Radio Music Award for Executive of the Year. In 2004 and 2005, Sony Urban Music is nominated and won Urban Label and Roster of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards. At Sony Music,
Lisa Ellis was ranked #8 in Billboard magazine’s “ 2009 Most Influential Women In Music”. She was ranked #3 in 2006, 2007, and 2009. Lisa was ranked #50 in Fast Company Magazine’s “100 Most Creative People In Business” 2011 and 2012.
She has a strong personal interest in government, philanthropy and leadership. She has held Board of Directors positions for Nat King Cole Generation Hope and Lalela Foundation. She is a member of the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy and has worked since her early adult life with Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Passionate about the environment and wildlife preservation, Ms Ellis has traveled to over 70 countries throughout the world and has volunteered in Africa with the Earth Institute and the United Nations Millennial Promise.
Ms. Ellis is on the governing Board Of Directors of BrainJuice, a natural brain supplement based in Austin, Texas. She has been a Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations since 2006. She is also an Honorary Board Member of the Howard Theatre Restoration in Washington, D.C. She has been Honored by the Girl Scouts of America two times over the past decade. Additionally, she is an Equestrian and active member of the United States Equestrian Federation and the United States Hunter Jumper Association. Lisa is also an active member of the University of Maryland Alumni Association and a Fellow and Alum of Hedgebrook in Whidbey Island, Washington. She also holds Fellowships at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Studio Museum of Harlem
Ms. Ellis received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland, College Park, and also is a graduate of Harvard Business School.
She is a native of Washington, D.C. and currently lives in Palm Beach, Florida
