Finnish animator Gigglebug Entertainment hires Disney alum Beth Parker as MD

Helsinki-based animation studio Gigglebug Entertainment has appointed experienced executive Beth Parker as its first managing director.

Beth Parker

Parker will focus on delivering original and service productions for the Finnish studio, working alongside CEO Anttu Harlin, creative director Joonas Utti and creative producer Lucy Pryke.

Between 2014 and 2020, Parker served as senior manager, production at Disney Channels EMEA, where she oversaw production of EMEA-based animated series in development and production for all non-theatrical Disney platforms. While working for Disney, her credits included PJ Masks and Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir.

Since leaving Disney in February 2020, she has worked as a freelance executive producer for companies such as Aardman Animation and Passion Pictures.

The appointment comes as Gigglebug Entertainment gears up for a busy 2022. The company said it is preparing to begin work on a raft of new productions, in addition to delivering its latest series – The Unstoppable Yellow Yeti for Disney Channel and Best & Bester for Nickelodeon – later this year. Both those projects will also launch with the Nordic public broadcasters.

Gigglebug recently opened a new studio in Helsinki and is splitting its time between service work and original content. The company said it plans to hire more employees in the coming months, eventually taking its head count to more than 100 before the end of the year.