Boat Rocker 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. 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 endeavors 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 endeavors 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 Ahmed, 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.

Ahmed will report into Schneeberg and Fortier, with a dual report into Boat Rocker Media CFO, Judy Adam.