Helene Hahn Loyd, the executive who was part of the executive team that built DreamWorks SKG and was instrumental in Disney’s renaissance of the 1980s and ’90s, died Oct. 24 in Park City, Utah. She was 78.
Returning to Paramount, she rose to senior vice president and earned a reputation as a formidable dealmaker. At Walt Disney Studios, she was named executive vice president in 1981, becoming one of the most high-ranking women in the film business at the time.
Working with Jeffrey Katzenberg, she helped engineer the studio’s comeback, including its partnership with Pixar. In 1994, she was recruited to help build DreamWorks SKG, and served as its chief operating officer.
She was a passionate mentor to upcoming female executives.
After moving to Park City, she “approached skiing with the same ferocity she applied to dealmaking,” her official obit stated.
