Former eOne General Counsel brings more than
35 years of experience in corporate and securities law, strategic
negotiations and governance for public companies
TORONTO, April 22,
2024 /PRNewswire/ - WildBrain Ltd.
("WildBrain" or the "Company") (TSX: WILD), a global
leader in kids' and family entertainment, has appointed leading
entertainment and securities lawyer Mark
Trachuk to the role of General Counsel. Trachuk brings more
than 35 years of experience working as legal counsel and as a
director for various public companies, with a key focus on the
media and entertainment industry. Working alongside WildBrain's
Executive Leadership Team, Trachuk will oversee all matters related
to corporate and securities legal affairs, and he will also serve
as Corporate Secretary to WildBrain's Board of Directors. Based in
Toronto, Trachuk reports to
Josh Scherba, WildBrain's President
and CEO. He succeeds James Bishop in
the role, who has accepted another opportunity.
Prior to WildBrain, Trachuk served as counsel at Norton Rose
Fulbright, a leading global law firm, where he
practiced corporate and securities law with an emphasis on
mergers, acquisitions, strategic alliances and corporate
governance. From 2018 to 2020, Trachuk was Worldwide Group General
Counsel & Corporate Secretary for Entertainment One, Ltd.
("eOne") (LSE: ETO), providing legal oversight across eOne's
global platform including public company compliance and regulatory
matters within the Canadian broadcasting and content system.
Trachuk was part of the executive team that conducted the sale of
eOne to Hasbro in 2019 for approximately US$4.0 billion. Prior to eOne, Trachuk was a
Senior Partner in the Business Law Group at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, a leading
Canadian law firm, where he practiced from 1989 to 2018.
Scherba said: "Mark's reputation as a highly accomplished legal
and governance professional precedes him. His depth and range of
experience in the entertainment industry and capital markets has
given him a skillset across business, strategic and regulatory
matters that makes him uniquely suited for our Company. I'm
delighted to welcome a professional of his distinction to the
WildBrain team, and we look forward to benefiting from his
expertise and counsel.
"I would also like to thank James
Bishop for his years of service to WildBrain. As trusted
counsel, James played an integral role in navigating some of our
most transformative moments, always bringing a highly strategic,
professional and gracious approach to the role. On behalf of the
management team, I wish James every success for the future."
Trachuk said: "I am thrilled to be joining the WildBrain team at
such an exciting time in their evolution. Their outstanding
portfolio of world-class IP, including Peanuts, Teletubbies and
Strawberry Shortcake, and unique capabilities across Content
Creation, Audience Engagement and Global Licensing
positions Wildbrain as a global leader in family
entertainment, and I look forward to working with the entire team
on the exciting journey to unlock value for the Company and its
stakeholders."
Trachuk is an experienced public company director, having
previously sat on numerous boards in the entertainment industry and
other sectors, including Playmaker Capital (TSX-V: PMKR),
Thunderbird Entertainment (TSX-V: TBRD) and eOne. He currently
serves as the lead director on the board of Almonty Industries Inc.
(TSX: AII), a global miner of tungsten and other critical minerals.
He has also sat on the boards of various non-profits including
Michael Garron Hospital, where he was Chair.
Trachuk holds an LL.M. in Corporate Law from the London School of Economics, a J.D. from the
University of Ottawa and a B.A. in
Economics from Carleton University. He
received the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate
Directors through the University of
Toronto – Rotman School of
Management. Trachuk is called to the bar in Ontario and British
Columbia and is a qualified solicitor in England and Wales.
For more information, please contact:
Investors: Kathleen Persaud – VP
Investor Relations, WildBrain
kathleen.persaud@wildbrain.com
+1 212-405-6089
Media: Shaun Smith – Sr.
Director, Global Communications & Public Relations,
WildBrain
shaun.smith@wildbrain.com
+1 416-977-7230
About WildBrain
At WildBrain we inspire imaginations through the wonder of
storytelling. As a leader in 360° franchise management, we are
experts in content creation, audience engagement and global
licensing, cultivating and growing love for our own and partner
brands with kids and families around the world. With approximately
13,000 half-hours of filmed entertainment in our library—one of the
world's most extensive—we are home to such treasured
franchises as Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake,
Yo Gabba Gabba!, Caillou, Inspector
Gadget and Degrassi. WildBrain's mission is to create exceptional
entertainment experiences that captivate and delight fans both
young and young at heart.
Our studios produce such award-winning series as The
Snoopy Show; Snoopy in Space; Strawberry Shortcake:
Berry in the Big City; Sonic Prime; Chip and
Potato; Teletubbies Let's Go! and many more.
Enjoyed in more than 150 countries on over 500 platforms, our
content is everywhere kids and families view entertainment,
including YouTube, where our network has garnered over 1
trillion minutes of watch time. Our television group owns and
operates some of Canada's
most-viewed family entertainment channels. WildBrain CPLG,
our leading consumer-products and location-based entertainment
agency, represents our owned and partner properties in every major
territory worldwide.
WildBrain is headquartered in Canada with offices worldwide and trades on
the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: WILD). Visit us at
wildbrain.com.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" under
applicable securities laws with respect to the Company including,
without limitation, statements regarding executive appointments at
WildBrain and expected benefits therefrom, the business strategies
and operational activities of WildBrain, the growth and future
financial and operating performance of WildBrain, and the market
position of WildBrain and value of its shares. Although the Company
believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking
statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and
uncertainties and are based on information currently available to
the Company. Actual results or events may differ materially from
those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ
materially from current expectations, among other things, include
the availability of and cost of financing, general economic and
market conditions and the impact of such conditions on the
industries in which WildBrain operates, competition and the
potential impact of industry mergers and acquisitions, market
factors, WildBrain's ability to identify and execute anticipated
production, distribution, licensing and other contracts,
contractual counterparty risk, the ability of WildBrain to realize
the expected value of its assets, supply chain and other related
disruptions, and risk factors discussed in materials filed with
applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time
including matters discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's
most recent Annual Information Form and annual Management
Discussion and Analysis. These forward-looking statements are made
as of the date hereof, and the Company assumes no obligation to
update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances,
except as required by law.
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SOURCE WildBrain Ltd.