Leigh Anne Brodsky Joins Discovery

New appointment is latest in series of high-level executive shifts at top entertainment licensors.

Leigh Anne Brodsky has stepped down as managing director of Peanuts Worldwide to take on the role of executive vice president at Discovery Communications’ Discovery Global Enterprises unit, where she will oversee consumer products, location-based entertainment and program sales worldwide.

Brodsky’s appointment follows on the heels of a series of other major executive moves and industry shake-ups among entertainment licensors in recent weeks including Fox's Jeffrey Godsick's move to Sony Pictures (leaving a vacancy at Fox Consumer Products that is yet to be filled), Disney's Soo Koo joining Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DreamWorks acquisition by NBCUniversal.

Brodsky joined Peanuts Worldwide and Iconix Entertainment in 2013 and oversaw the company’s global business, establishing the largest retail presence for Peanuts in the brand’s history. She also expanded Iconix's global entertainment portfolio after leading the acquisition and rebranding of Strawberry Shortcake just last year to maximize its merchandising potential.

“Leigh Anne is the perfect executive to lead Global Enterprises with the goals of driving incremental revenue, broadening reach and deepening connections with our viewers,” says Paul Guyardo, chief commercial officer, Discovery Communications. “We’re fortunate she’s joining our team.”

Before joining Iconix, Brodsky was the president of Nickelodeon Consumer Products where she oversaw parent company Viacom’s global licensing and merchandising business, which included brands such as “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “Dora the Explorer,” “Blue’s Clues,” Comedy Central’s “South Park” and MTV’s “Jersey Shore.” She was also instrumental in the company’s acquisition of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” property and under her leadership, Nickelodeon became a multi-billion dollar retail licensing entity.

Brodsky has been a licensing professional for more than 20 years and also served as an active member on the board of directors at Jakks Pacific and president of the global consulting group L.A.B. Licensing and Branding.

In 2011, Brodsky was inducted into the Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association’s Hall of Fame. She is also a twice-elected member of the LIMA Board of Directors, where she serves on its charity fundraising committee.

Discovery Communications is not included on the 2016 Top Global Licensors report was ranked at No. 53 in 2015.