Eric Ellenbogen steps down as CEO and Vice Chair; Jim Fielding moves from Chief Marketing and Brands Officer to Strategic Advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors.
WildBrain Ltd., a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, has promoted Josh Scherba to President and Chief Executive Officer. Scherba will also join the company’s Board of Directors. Under the company’s succession plan, Scherba replaces Eric Ellenbogen who has stepped down as CEO and Vice Chair. Additionally, Jim Fielding, Chief Marketing and Brands Officer, is now Strategic Advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors.
Scherba has over 20 years of industry experience and has worked at WildBrain since its founding in 2006. He became President in 2018 and has fostered a content-led approach to igniting and monetizing brands from the company’s deep vault of valuable IP as well as partner-owned brands. Well known in the entertainment industry as the primary face of business for WildBrain, Scherba has built strong, long-term relationships with numerous major partners, including Apple TV+; Netflix; Amazon; SEGA; YouTube; the BBC; LEGO; Mattel; and many others. Most recently, Scherba drove WildBrain’s agreement to acquire House of Cool, significantly expanding the Company’s capabilities for premium series, specials and features.
Fielding’s experience leading consumer-products groups includes work at world leading media companies Disney, DreamWorks and Twentieth Century Fox. As a former President of Disney Stores Worldwide, he redefined the digital and physical store experience around the globe. Fielding has held leadership roles at top retailers, including Claire’s Stores, Inc., where he was CEO; The Gap; Lands’ End; and the J. Peterman Company. During his 30-year career, he has recruited and trained global leaders in a variety of disciplines and at all levels.
Fielding will maintain oversight of the Company’s franchise and marketing functions during a transition period, while working with Scherba and the Board to implement new leadership.
“WildBrain has made significant progress over the last three years to emerge as a leading platform for the monetization of kids and family IP in the global market,” said Don Wright, Chair of WildBrain’s Board of Directors. “As we look to the future, our focus is to continue building on this strategy to accelerate the growth of key franchises globally. As President, Josh played an integral role in setting and implementing WildBrain’s 360-degree strategy, and he has been a driving force behind all aspects of the company’s highly successful content business, from its award-winning animation studio through to its world-leading global distribution business. We’re confident Josh has the right combination of strategic vision, deep industry expertise and operational insights to take WildBrain forward into this next phase of growth.”
Wright continued, “The Board is also pleased to further benefit from Jim Fielding’s far-reaching industry experience in the evolution of his relationship with the company. We’ve worked with Jim for years in his capacity as a consultant for our Peanuts brand, where he developed the current growth strategy, before he joined WildBrain as an executive. He has provided valuable strategic and operational counsel across key brands, transforming the company’s approach to marketing and franchise activation. Jim has a rich history with top media and consumer-products companies and possesses a deep understanding and strong track record of implementing IP strategy and monetization. We look forward to working with Jim to further leverage his strategic expertise as we embark on this next phase to accelerate the monetization of our brands and build long-term shareholder value.”
“It’s an incredibly exciting time at WildBrain, and I’m honored that our board has put their support behind me to lead the company,” said Scherba. “I look forward to continuing to work with our talented people across the organization, our passionate management team and the Board to further execute on our global strategy, with a renewed focus on key franchises to drive profitability for the long-term success of the business and enhance value for shareholders. With our beloved iconic brands, such as Peanuts, Teletubbies and Strawberry Shortcake, as well as the creative expertise we’ve invested in across our teams and our truly global reach in distribution and licensing, we hold a unique position of strength in the evolving marketplace to continue capitalizing on meaningful partnerships for content and consumer products.”
Fielding said, “WildBrain is one of the most exciting companies I’ve worked with in my career. Over the past few years, we’ve made strong progress elevating and celebrating brands like Peanuts, Teletubbies and Strawberry Shortcake. With its rich portfolio of IP, combined with its extensive infrastructure and capabilities for content and brand management, plus its wealth of talented people dedicated to creative excellence, WildBrain holds great potential in today’s global market. I’m excited to continue my work with Josh and the Board to help further ignite WildBrain’s IP and drive future growth.”
“It’s been a tremendous experience to have led the evolution of WildBrain into the industry leader that it is today,” stated Ellenbogen. “I’m pleased to leave the company in a much stronger position than I found it, and I’ve greatly enjoyed working with WildBrain’s board, management team and talented employees across the global organization. I have every confidence that Josh is the right person to continue on the path we set together for WildBrain’s future.”
Source: WildBrain
Whitney is a freelance writer focusing on VFX-driven fantasy film & TV as well as preschool animation.
