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people A
The news of Damian
Kavanagh’s departure from
the BBC earlier this year
created a bit of a kerfuffl e
in industry circles. The
question of who would land
the coveted role of CBBC
contoller was the talk of
MIPTV in April. With the
late-June announcement
that Cheryl Taylor [A] was
moving from her post as
BBC’s controller of comedy
commissioning to take the
top spot at CBBC, we have
our answer. Prior to accepting
her fi rst controller post
in 2009, Taylor served as
executive editor for out of
London comedy commissioning
at the Beeb and
worked on developing and
producing original comedies
including Aardman
Animations’ Wallace And
Gromit: A Matter Of Loaf
And Death.
10 July/August 2012
B C D
Elsewhere in the UK,
ex-Playfi sh exec Ken Ward
heads to social online gaming
company Mind Candy to
take on the newly created director
of talent role. Ward will
be tasked with developing
Mind Candy’s employment
brand and talent acquisition
strategy, as well as directing
and managing its internal
recruitment team.
Moving to the broadcast
scene in the US, long-time
Nickelodeon programming
exec Teri Weiss [B] has
been promoted to EVP of
production and development
for Nickelodeon Preschool.
Reporting to Nickelodeon
Group President Cyma
Zarghami, Weiss (most
recently Nickelodeon Preschool’s
SVP of production
and development) is now
responsible for executing the
creation and production of
all original content for Nickelodeon
Preschool’s morning
block, as well as dedicated
channel Nick Jr.
Over at Cartoon Network,
Curtis Lelash [C]
has been promoted to VP of
comedy animation from his
previous role as director of
comedy animation. Working
out of L.A., he’s charged with
overseeing the development
of CN’s animated comedy
series. He will also continue
to lead the studio’s shorts
development program.
North of the border, Toronto,
Canada-based Corus
Entertainment has upped
Irene Weibel [D] to VP
and head of Nelvana Studio
from VP of international
production and development.
She’ll take the lead
on development and
production of all original
content for the studio. She
will also lead the coordination
of series development,
distribution and consumer
products launches.
In licensing moves,
Joan Grasso joins eOne
Family as VP of licensing
for North America and
will head up the August
US merch launch of hit
preschool IP Peppa Pig.
Grasso will also manage
budgets and fi nd new
commercial opportunities
for other eOne properties
across fi lm and TV. Prior to
her new role, she helped
grow popular brands like
Mr. Men/Little Miss and
The World of Eric Carl as
Chorion Silver Lining’s VP of
toys and games licensing.
Another former Chorion
exec, Melissa Tinker, has
landed a new position as VP of
Turner Broadcasting System
Asia Pacifi c’s licensing and
merchandising division, Cartoon
Network Enterprises
(CNE). Tinker will lead the
L&M strategies for Ben
10, Adventure Time, The
Amazing World of Gumball
and The Powerpuff Girls in
the region. Prior to joining
CNE, she spent six years at
Chorion in Australia as SVP
of licensing for Asia Pacifi c.
On the departure side,
Jo Daris, head of global
business development at
Belgium-based Studio 100,
is leaving the family entertainment
prodco to launch
a new career in real estate
development in Asia.
Group CEO Hans Bourlon
will take over Daris’ role
and responsibilities effective
August 1.
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