Peter Cuneo, Former CEO, Marvel
Peter Cuneo is an American businessman and recognized leader in strategic and financial turnarounds. For both public and private companies, he has restaged businesses at Clairol, Black & Decker, Remington and Marvel Entertainment.
Since 1983, he has completed seven turnarounds of distressed branded businesses in the global media and consumer products sectors. From 1999 to 2009, Peter played a lead role in the turnaround of Marvel Entertainment Inc. (NYSE-MVL). As President and CEO, he led Marvel, post bankruptcy, to a prominent position in the entertainment industry. He then served as Vice Chairman of the Board, providing active strategic leadership as Marvel continued to grow into one of the world’s leading entertainment brands. This culminated in a $4.5 billion sale to Disney at the end of 2009.
Forbes Magazine and Business Insider called Peter one of the best turnaround CEO’s in America.
Career: Cuneo’s corporate career started at W.R. Grace in financial assignments. He then spent 14 years at Bristol-Myers Squibb. Cuneo accomplished his first business turnaround in early 1980’s while President of Clairol’s Personal Care Division which was owned by Bristol-Myers. Later, he was President of Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Division in Canada as well as Chairman of the Canadian Infant Formula Association and a member of the Board of the Canadian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association.
In 1990, he moved to Black & Decker as President of the Security Hardware Group, responsible for six businesses around the world with sales of $500 million. During his tenure, turnarounds of underperforming businesses were accomplished in Italy, Germany, and the United States.
In 1993, Peter became President and eventually CEO of Remington Products. The company, known for its electric shavers, was on the verge of bankruptcy. Cuneo bought his old personal care business at Clairol and merged it into Remington. The company eventually sold in 1996 for $225 million to a leverage buyout firm.
He is currently the Managing Principal of Cuneo & Company, LLC, a private investment and management company in which his sons, Gavin and Colin are partners. Cuneo & Co. was started in 2010 and is focused on making investments in private companies within the consumer, media and entertainment-oriented industries. This included Valiant Entertainment Inc. (comic book character-based entertainment). The company was sold in 2018 for approx. 13x the firm’s investment. Some current investments include among others: Herotainment, LLC (mobile gaming-based children’s entertainment), Blendtique LLC. (wine blending for consumers) and Cuneo Films LLC. Peter, Gavin and Colin hold board seats on most of Cuneo & Co’s portfolio companies and work actively with their management teams.
Peter was Chairman for Iconix Brand Group (NASDAQ). He served as interim CEO for eight months through April 2016 and again in 2018.
Peter is also Chairman of BeyondView Inc., based in San Francisco. This is an AI company developing digital mapping solutions for commercial real estate companies.
He has been a board member of public and private companies such as Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE-MVL), Iconix Brand Group (NASDAQ-ICON, Chairman of the Audit Committee). WaterPik Technologies Inc. (NYSE-PIK, Chairman of the Audit Committee) and Remington Products (private).
In 2020, he joined the board of ElectroCore (NASDAQ-ECOR). The company sells a non-invasive medical device for the treatment of migraines, cluster headaches, and PTSD that is FDA approved. The product is also approved for the treatment of asthma in COVID-19 patients. Recently, the company released a direct-to-consumer product for stress relief. In 2021, Peter became Chairman of the company.
In 2024, Peter became Chairman of OCSiAl, a nanotechnology company based in Luxemburg.
Personal Life: Peter graduated in 1967, with a BS degree in Glass Science (Ceramic Engineering) from Alfred University. He has served on the Board of Trustees at Alfred since 1990. After six years as its Chairman, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in 2013. Additionally, he received a second honorary doctorate degree in 2022.
Post-graduation, he entered the U.S. Navy achieving the rank of lieutenant. He was Damage Control Officer and then Communications Officer on the USS Joseph Strauss (DDG-16), a guided missile destroyer. The Strauss participated in several deployments into the Vietnam War.
After active service with the Navy, he earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. He received first year academic honors and was President of the International Business Club.
Currently, he sits on the Board of the National Archives Foundation in Washington, DC. He previously served as Co-head of the Development Committee, as Chair of the Audit Committee, and was Co-head of the Nominating Committee. Peter is also a board member of the National Policing Institute in Washington DC. In 2016, Peter was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Peter has made numerous speeches on turnaround leadership throughout the world. He has also appeared on business-oriented cable television.
Recently Peter signed with United Talent Agency to broaden his speaking exposure.
Peter’s podcast, “Superhero Leadership”, debuted at the start of 2024.