BOAT ROCKER UPDATES KEY EXECUTIVE ROLES ACROSS STUDIO DIVISIONS

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 Ahmad, 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. Ahmad 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.

Boat Rocker Studios: Matt Salvatore, Vice President, Corporate Communications, 416-591-0065, [email protected]