Ex-Moonbug duo create IP growth and development firm 8 Lions Entertainment
Karine Ahton (left) and Jiella Esmat
Former Moonbug Entertainment executives Jiella Esmat and Karine Ahton have launched 8 Lions Entertainment, a London-based IP growth and development company.
8 Lions will use data-driven insights to develop, create and grow IP aimed at children and teenagers worldwide.
“By blending traditional entertainment expertise with digital-first, creator-led IP strategies, 8 Lions plans to scale IP globally and across all derivatives, with an emphasis on creative synergies between the East and West,” the company said.
Co-founder and CEO Esmat was most recently chief revenue officer at Amuse Animation and Amuse Studios, before which she was director and then senior director of distribution and content partnerships at Moonbug from 2019 to 2022.
She also previously held roles at companies including Sony Pictures Entertainment, NBCUniversal and Paramount Pictures, where she spent six years from 2003 to 2009 first as brand manager for DreamWorks Animation and Nickelodeon, and then as commercial manager of digital distribution for EMEA.
Co-founder Ahton was general counsel and data protection officer at Moonbug from 2019 to 2021, following which she was director of corporate legal affairs at Lyca Group, which owns mobile network operator Lyca Mobile.
Earlier in her career, Ahton held business and legal affairs management roles at ITV for over six years from 2008 to 2014, and was also previously head of legal and business affairs at Hello Kitty and Mr Men owner Sanrio from 2015 to 2017.
Joining the team are Lovely Chavez as VP of digital strategy and commercial partnerships, Helen Wong as senior commercial manager and Fletcher Williams as corporate and strategy executive. All three previously worked at Moonbug.
Chavez was Moonbug’s senior channel manager and later director of channels (international) from 2018 to 2023, following which she became a YouTube consultant. She was also channel manager at WildBrain from 2017 to 2018.
Helen Wong worked at Moonbug from 2018 to 2022, starting as a channel manager and ending as market development manager for APAC, while Fletcher Williams was M&A strategy manager at Moonbug from 2018 to 2020. Williams also held roles at NBCUniversal from 2016 to 2018 and gaming company Voldex from 2023 to 2024.
Meanwhile, ex-MD of Manga Entertainment and Crunchyroll UK, Jerome Mazandarani, is advising on anime and adult animation projects.
Prior to its official launch, 8 Lions represented YouTube brand Cosmic Kids Yoga in negotiations for a series with Sky called Jaime’s Yoga Adventures. The company has also partnered with Acamar Films to distribute preschool hit Bing in the MENA region and represent its L&M activities. 8 Lions is additionally working with Jordan-based YouTube-first studio Pixitoon on developing a 360-degree growth and monetisation strategy.
The company is seeking partnerships for IP creation, distribution, coproduction and L&M.
Esmat said: “We are sourcing and creating diverse, engaging entertainment that reflects the genuine interests of kids and teens. Young people’s consumption habits have changed irreversibly and continue to evolve. We’re ensuring content is available to them in ways that recognise and cater to their expectations.”
