WildBrain Announces Exec AppointmentsWildBrain Announces Exec Appointments

WildBrain has announced that Damon Berger has joined the company in the newly-created position of chief marketing officer, and the promotions of Stephanie Betts to chief content officer and Deirdre Brennan to chief operating officer, respectively. 

In the new role, Berger will drive new business and revenue through opportunities in media sales, social commerce and digital marketing. He will be developing partnerships and client services that leverage WildBrain’s portfolio of capabilities, assets and IP, as well as the company’s international leadership position in the kids’ and family entertainment space.  

With an initial focus on harnessing WildBrain Spark’s global audience on YouTube and YouTube Kids, Berger will build and lead an international team of digital marketing specialists, working with groups across the global WildBrain organization to identify and exploit new commercial opportunities in the consumer-facing digital space.  

Prior to joining WildBrain, Berger held executive positions in marketing and business development at Mattel, Fullscreen, What’s Trending and 20th Century Fox. 

“We have made great strides in the last two years aligning all the parts of our business to respond to the opportunities in the evolving media landscape,” says Eric Ellenbogen, chief executive officer, WildBrain. “These executive appointments build on those successes, with Damon joining the team to push into new opportunities and emerging revenue streams in the advertising and direct-to-consumer space; Stephanie bringing her passion for creative excellence to an expanded role at our studio; and Deirdre continuing the important work she’s done integrating our content and distribution operations. There are exciting times ahead for our audiences and investors  as we continue to activate our incredible vault of IP.” 

Betts will be responsible for overseeing WildBrain’s content slate and will focus on creative excellence across development, production and studio operations, drawing on her considerable experience. 

Brennan takes on an expanded remit to integrate the company’s AVOD network, WildBrain Spark, into her existing portfolio of content and distribution operations across WildBrain’s global organization. In her role,  Brennan will continue her oversight of the company’s distribution and television businesses and align the WildBrain Spark business within this portfolio, extending continuity for WildBrain’s holistic content strategy across the group.   

Due to this management realignment, the role of managing director at WildBrain Spark will no longer exist and, as a result, Jon Gisby will be leaving the company.