By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Mellany Welsh, the former VP and head of Canadian kids’ studio Nelvana, has joined Boat Rocker as its senior VP of brand partnerships and content marketing.
Welsh has been tapped to lead the rival Canadian studio’s brand strategy, partnerships, licensing and content marketing initiatives across scripted, unscripted and kids and family programming.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the Boat Rocker team,” Welsh said. “Their track record for innovation, creativity and storytelling is unparalleled, and I am excited to contribute to such a dynamic, forward-thinking organization.
“I look forward to collaborating with this talented team to drive growth and explore new opportunities that will shape the future of the business.”
In mid-January Welsh had stepped down from her role at Nelvana, with the company saying she was pursuing new opportunities. That turned out to be a new position managing Boat Rocker’s brand portfolio, which includes properties such as Orphan Black, The Next Step and Dino Ranch, and expanding its roster of partnerships and collaborations across genres.
Welsh will be based in Toronto and report to Jon Rutherford, the president of global rights, franchise and content strategy at Boat Rocker Studios.
“We’re beyond excited to welcome Mellany to Boat Rocker,” said Rutherford. “She’s a strong, innovative leader with excellent industry relationships and a proven track record of success. We’re confident her deep expertise across all aspects of brand partnership management within a global studio will help further fuel our growth.”
Welsh brings a wealth of relevant experience to the role, as she previously led Nelvana’s global brand strategy, distribution, licensing, marketing and retail development. Welsh also oversaw its kids publishing imprint, Kids Can Press, a division of the parent company Corus.
Corus, meanwhile, has appointed Rachel Nelson, the VP of original programming and head of Corus Studios, to assume responsibility for both Nelvana and Kids Can Press.