Meri Hassouni believes in paying it forward—and for her customers, that’s made a Giant difference.
“I love people. Building meaningful relationships rooted in trust, sincerity, and genuine connection is what drives me—both personally and professionally,” Meri said. “I’ve always believed that great business starts with listening. Understanding what clients truly need, how those needs evolve, and being a trusted partner throughout that journey is what matters most to me.”
That philosophy extends beyond business. For the past five years, Meri has served as Chair of the DEG Canon Club—a vibrant community where women in the industry connect, share knowledge, support one another, and build lasting professional relationships.
As SVP of Sales at Cineverse / Giant Worldwide (previously Chief Revenue Officer at Giant Worldwide), Meri has helped shape a customer-first culture centered on partnership, accountability, and service.
“Establishing and growing our customer base has always been about listening closely, understanding each client’s unique challenges, and never promising anything we can’t deliver,” she said. “We take a true white-glove approach—staying connected to the client and the account throughout its entire lifecycle, not just during the sale. That level of care and trust is what creates long-term relationships.”
Over the past 21 years, Meri has been instrumental in helping grow Giant from a boutique digital facility into an international operation serving many of the industry’s premier distributors and platforms.
Q: How did you get started in content distribution?
I knew that I wanted to do something in entertainment since I was a little kid, and I was fortunate enough to pursue it. I started as a production assistant and spent 10 years producing content. It was an exciting time—I traveled extensively and learned first-hand how demanding and collaborative this industry can be. Those early experiences taught me the importance of relationships, communication, and showing up for people.
I decided to transition into a desk job just as Jeff Stabenau, Giant’s founder, was starting his first DVD company, Crush Digital. I walked into my interview not fully knowing what a DVD was. Jeff handed me a disc and a player to take home and watch, and something sparked in me. I was soon a DVD producer/project manager.
When Jeff later started Blink Digital, I followed him there. Eventually, when Blink became too corporate and Jeff was leaving, I told him, ‘I don’t know where you’re going, but I’m going with you.’ That shared passion for innovation, relationships, and client service is what ultimately led to the beginning of my 21 years at Giant.
Ironically, at the same time, I was in the middle of a DVD project for New Video, which eventually became Cineverse. One of my first clients.
Q: What’s been the key to Giant’s success?
There have been many factors—and many incredible people—who helped us get to where we are today. But one thing I’m especially proud of is helping shape our customer-first philosophy from the very beginning.
At Giant, relationships have always come first. We’ve built our reputation on trust, transparency, and delivering an exceptional white-glove experience. That means truly listening to clients, understanding their changing business needs, and being honest about what we can and cannot deliver. We never oversell, and we work hard to earn our clients’ trust every single day.
Our project managers act as internal advocates for each customer, ensuring every client feels prioritized and supported throughout the entire lifecycle of their account. Whether it’s a major studio or an independent distributor like NEON or A24, every client knows their business matters deeply to us.
That level of personalization, accountability, and long-term partnership is why so many of our clients have stayed with us since the beginning.
Q: How do you view the Matchpoint acquisition, and what does it mean for Giant customers?
I see it as a perfect synergy. Giant has always been known for its high-touch, relationship-driven service model, while Matchpoint brings powerful automation, scalability, and technology infrastructure to the table.
What makes this combination so exciting is that we’re not replacing the human element—we’re strengthening it. Our clients still have the trusted relationships and personalized support they rely on, but now we can provide even greater efficiency, scalability, visibility, and accuracy behind the scenes.
Some customers were understandably cautious during the transition, but we’ve been very intentional about communicating that our commitment to service is not changing. If anything, the technology allows us to listen and respond to client needs faster and more effectively while reducing friction throughout the media supply chain.
It’s still the same white-glove approach our clients know and trust—now powered by even stronger tools and capabilities.
Q: What will the integration of these two companies mean for the industry?
I believe it has the potential to be transformative for the industry.
Today, many distributors are struggling with asset management, version control, and operational inefficiencies. Clients don’t just need technology—they need a partner who understands the complexity of their business and can help simplify it.
By combining Giant’s client-focused services with Matchpoint’s technology, we’re creating a true end-to-end media supply chain solution that is flexible, scalable, and highly customizable. We can now help clients manage, prepare, and deliver content globally with far greater efficiency and transparency.
Most importantly, we’re doing it while maintaining the personal relationships and trust that this industry was built on. Technology is incredibly important, but people still want partners who listen, stay engaged, and stand behind what they deliver. That combination of innovation and human connection is what truly sets us apart.
