Began career as an entertainment lawyer representing such Hollywood talent as Warren Beatty and Peter Guber. Saunders entered film production as senior vice president of worldwide production at 20th Century Fox. He then held executive positions with New World Pictures, CBS Theatrical Films and Vision p.d.g. before joining the Sony-owned Guber Peters Entertainment Co. as president in 1990. In March 1992 Saunders was appointed president of Sony Pictures Entertainment's Triumph Releasing, which acquires films from outside sources and independent production companies.