Nelvana restructures top team

Corus Entertainment-owned Nelvana in Canada has made management and structural changes to its team and re-hired its former director of licensing.

Mellany Masterson

Mellany Masterson has rejoined Nelvana as VP of sales, consumer products and international, having previously worked at the firm between 2011 and 2015 as director of licensing.

She will manage the children’s content producer’s consumer products business globally, as well as content sales outside the Americas and Europe. Masterson was most recently director of business development for Canadian toy company Imports Dragon.

Madeline Ferguson has been promoted to senior international sales manager, reporting to Masterson.

Madeline Ferguson

Ferguson, who previously held the role of international sales manager, will aim to boost Nelvana’s content and consumer products sales in Asia, Australia and the UK.

Jessica Brinder, meanwhile, has taken up the new role of senior content distribution manager, domestic and digital, managing sales of Nelvana’s content in both advertising-supported VoD and subscription VoD.

Brinder, previously a senior sales manager at Nelvana, will report to Pam Westman, head of Nelvana Enterprises, supporting her with North American content sales and Westman’s management of US broadcast relationships.

Jessica Brinder

Lily Yan, previously Nelvana’s director of brands, has become head of brands for the children’s content producer. She will manage brands on a global basis, including content and distribution strategy, and also report to Westman.

Scott Dyer, president of Nelvana, said the appointments will enable he and Westman to “focus on broader business development and future growth initiatives within Nelvana.”

The restructure follows the departure of Jerry Diaz, VP of worldwide sales and distribution at Nelvana Enterprises, who joined DHX Media last year.