Industry veteran to focus on leading country’s animation sector through period of unprecedented growth.
Ireland’s animation studios trade organization, Animation Ireland, has announced the appointment of Ronan McCabe as its new chief executive. A leading producer of Irish content, he has spent over 20 years as managing director at Double Z Enterprises, where he produced shows for RTE, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and MTV. He is also a former chairperson of Screen Producers Ireland and has been treasurer of Animation Ireland since its founding in 2015.
McCabe has built relationships with companies in Ireland and around the world; his work has included negotiation of financing, rights, licensing and merchandising. Through his efforts with Enterprise Ireland and Animation Skillnet, he has provided advice, education and solutions to animation start-ups and new production studios.
“It is a privilege to be appointed chief executive of Animation Ireland,” commented McCabe. “The Irish animation sector is performing very strongly, and my focus is on leading the sector through this period of enormous growth. I plan to address major challenges such as education and recruitment of talent, the effective operation of the S481 tax credit system and the implementation of the EU Audio Visual Media Services Directive. My mission is to ensure that Ireland continues to be a leading global destination for animation production, and bring new energy, purpose and ambition to the role.’’
The announcement follows a period of rapid growth for Ireland’s animation sector, with investments tripling since 2015 to €180 million annually and employment doubling to over 2,000. Animation Ireland now has 30 member studios, an increase from 25 in 2018 and only 14 in 2015.
Source: Animation Ireland
