Saban hires ex-Nickelodeon exec

Power Rangers rights owner Saban Brands has followed up its hire of a new CEO by recruiting a former Nickelodeon senior VP of current series.

Rich Magallanes joins Saban as senior VP of development and production after he left Nick earlier this year as a result of parent company Viacom’s restructure.

Magallanes spent almost two decades with the US children’s channel, joining in 1997 and going on to lead production of animated series such as SpongeBob SquarePants. He also helped put together international coproductions including Rabbids Invasion and Get Blake!.

Magallanes will now oversee development and production for the company’s television and entertainment properties, including Popples, Cirque du Soleil: Luna Petunia and Emojiville.

Additionally, Magallanes will aid the conception of new creative projects, forge new production partnerships and identify and vet potential content acquisitions.

Brian Casentini, who currently performs that role at Saban, has been given a “more enhanced and focused” position at the company and becomes senior VP of the Power Rangers franchise.

Casentini will be a producer on the upcoming live-action feature-film franchise and an executive producer of the long-running television series, which is in its 22nd consecutive season and is currently airing on Nickelodeon.

The reshuffle comes after Saban last week hired licensing exec Janet Hsu as its first CEO, two weeks after president Elie Dekel announced he would be leaving the company.