Changes designed to streamline and
bolster operation of Boat Rocker Studios
TORONTO, June 1, 2023
/CNW/ - Boat Rocker, an independent, integrated global
entertainment company, today announced it has made updates to the
roles of several key senior executives reporting into Studio
Co-Chairmen Ivan Schneeberg &
David Fortier. The changes will
further streamline operations of the Studio and allow the company
to be an even more effective partner for content creators and
buyers.
"We're excited to be continuing to strengthen the connectivity
between our company and the marketplace through several key updates
across Boat Rocker Studios," said Ivan
Schneeberg and David Fortier,
Co-Executive Chairmen, Boat Rocker Media and Co-Chairmen, Boat
Rocker Studios. "We've built a world-class team and these updates
to roles and structure serve to further optimize how we work with
our valued creative and business partners around the
globe."
Effective immediately, the following Boat Rocker executives will
be taking on updated roles:
- Jon Rutherford, formerly,
President, Kids & Family and Rights, Boat Rocker Studios is
taking on the new role of President, Global Rights, Franchise, and
Content Strategy, Boat Rocker Studios. In this role, Rutherford
will continue to oversee the sale and exploitation of all Boat
Rocker owned or managed IP and brands worldwide and to oversee
animated kids and family projects. In addition, Rutherford will
assume an expanded role in the management of the Studio's content
ownership and rights retention strategy and will be responsible for
sourcing projects, pre-sales, co-productions, regional productions,
and franchise brand opportunities across all genres in line with
that content strategy. Rutherford will report into Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier.
- Nick Nantell, formerly
EVP, Creative Affairs, Boat Rocker Studios, Scripted is taking on
the role of EVP, Head of Scripted Creative, Boat Rocker Studios. In
this expanded role, Nantell will lead all scripted endeavours
across the Studio, including scripted live action kids and family
content. Nantell will continue reporting into Schneeberg and
Fortier.
-
- As part of this change, Kerry
Appleyard, formerly, SVP, Creative Affairs, Boat Rocker
Studios, Scripted is taking on the expanded role of SVP, Head of
Scripted Canada, Boat Rocker Studios, reporting into Nantell.
Appleyard will be responsible for leading the Studio's scripted
endeavours in Canada.
- In addition, Michael
McGahey, has joined Boat Rocker as VP, Content, Kids
& Family Live Action, Boat Rocker Studios, reporting into
Nantell. McGahey will be responsible for developing and producing
live action kids and family content for the Studio. McGahey joins
Boat Rocker's Los Angeles office
from Mindshow where he was Head of Creative Development and Sales.
Previously, McGahey worked at MarVista Entertainment as Vice
President, Development and Co-Productions and Disney Television
Animation as Vice President, Development.
- Jill Danton, EVP, Head of
Production, Boat Rocker Studios, is adding oversight of unscripted
and kids and family (scripted and animated) production to her
remit. Danton, who now leads all physical production efforts across
the studio, will continue reporting into Schneeberg and
Fortier.
- Hameed Ahmed, SVP,
Finance & Operations, Boat Rocker Media is adding Head of
Finance, Boat Rocker Studios to his title, leading the studio
finance function across all Studio divisions, expanding his remit
to include kids and family and unscripted finance, in addition to
scripted. Ahmed will report into Schneeberg and Fortier, with a
dual report into Boat Rocker Media CFO, Judy Adam.
About Boat Rocker
Boat Rocker (TSX: BRMI) is the home for creative visionaries. An
independent, integrated global entertainment company, Boat Rocker's
purpose is to tell stories and build iconic brands across all
genres and mediums. With offices around the world, Boat Rocker's
creative and commercial capabilities include Scripted, Unscripted,
and Kids & Family television production, distribution, brand
& franchise management, a world-class animation studio, and
talent management through Untitled Entertainment. A selection of
Boat Rocker's projects include: Invasion (Apple TV+),
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields
(Hulu), Slip (Roku), Orphan Black (BBC AMERICA, CTV
Sci-Fi Channel), Dear… (Apple TV+), Billie Eilish: The
World's a Little Blurry (Apple TV+), The Next Step (BBC,
Corus, CBC), Daniel Spellbound (Netflix), and
Dino Ranch (Disney+, Disney
Junior, CBC). For more information, please visit
www.boatrocker.com.
SOURCE Boat Rocker Media Inc.