MarbleMedia brings in Proper exec

Toronto-based prodco and distributor MarbleMedia has hired Mike Armitage from rival Canadian prodco Proper Television and promoted development producer Kelsey Espensen.

Mike Armitage

Armitage joins as development producer for factual and factual entertainment, while Espensen has become development producer for unscripted entertainment and formats. Her previous role covered unscripted, kids and family and preschool development.

In his new role, Armitage will be tasked with finding dynamic talent and creating character-led, long-running, returnable factual series.

He will work with Diane Rankin, executive producer and senior VP at sister rights management company Distribution360, and report to Marblemedia co-CEOs Matt Hornburg and Diane Rankin.

At Proper Television, Armitage was director of development responsible for conceiving and creating series such Tougher Than it Looks and Last Stop Garage for Discovery.

He has also worked for Banger and Antica Productions and spent many years at CBC where he helped to develop and produce Dragons’ Den, as well as producing Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister.

Espensen will report to Hornburg and will be responsible for creating original IP in the competition space and sourcing global formats for Marblemedia to acquire for production.

Hornburg said: “Expanding our unscripted development team into two distinct areas of original production will serve the needs of our global buyers and further fuel the growth and scalability of our business.”