Toronto-based global entertainment company ups Samantha Traub to Chief Operating Officer and Michel Pratte to Chief Revenue Officer.
TORONTO -- Global entertainment company Boat Rocker Media has fortified its leadership ranks by elevating Samantha Traub to Chief Operating Officer and Michel Pratte to Chief Revenue Officer. The announcement was made today by David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, Co-Executive Chairmen, and John Young, Chief Executive Officer, Boat Rocker Media.
“We are extremely fortunate to have incredible strength and depth of talent within Boat Rocker’s senior ranks,” said Young. “Sam is without a doubt the most dedicated and trusted executive I’ve ever worked with, and Michel’s passion, knowledge and expertise have been instrumental to our success thus far. Both Sam and Michel consistently deliver results and always look out for the best interests of Boat Rocker.”
“We founded Boat Rocker with a strategy to develop our creative content and make smart, strategic acquisitions that would build our portfolio,” added Fortier and Schneeberg. “Sam and Michel have been essential in expanding our global footprint, developing and executing smart deals and growing our business into new sectors, including animation and kids programming.”
Traub joined Boat Rocker Media, then Temple Street Productions, in 2007 as Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs and in that role oversaw the structuring of all of Temple Street’s domestic and international productions and co-productions, managed production legal deals and negotiated talent and partnership agreements. Traub provided key strategic and legal support on the company’s behalf in connection with Fairfax Financial’s significant capital investment in Boat Rocker in 2015. Thereafter, Traub was promoted to Senior Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs and General Counsel and in addition to leading Boat Rocker’s legal and business affairs team and managing all legal issues on behalf of the company, played a crucial role in Boat Rocker’s recent acquisition spree and expansion into distribution, kids and family programming, and animation services. In her role as COO, Traub adds to her portfolio management of Boat Rocker Studio’s production team and will oversee human resources and governance issues for the company.
Pratte joined Boat Rocker in 2008 and was quickly promoted to Director, Strategy & Business Development. Over the past eight years, Pratte has spearheaded the building of Boat Rocker’s digital division and corporate development strategy, most recently as Senior Vice President of Boat Rocker Ventures. Pratte was integral to the exponential growth of Boat Rocker’s family and kids division in 2016, including leading the acquisitions of Radical Sheep and Jam Filled Entertainment, and overseeing Jam Filled’s purchase of the principal assets of Arc Productions Ltd. in the wake of Arc’s receivership this past summer. In his new role as CRO, Pratte will oversee Boat Rocker’s Rights, Brands and Ventures divisions while continuing to lead the company’s M&A and corporate development activity.
In February 2016, following a significant capital investment from Fairfax Financial, Temple Street Productions became Boat Rocker Media Inc. Consolidated under the Boat Rocker umbrella are: Boat Rocker Studios, under which Temple Street, Jam Filled, Radical Sheep and other original content creation brands and divisions live; Boat Rocker Rights; Boat Rocker Ventures; and Boat Rocker Brands. The company continues to further its growth through expanded production and distribution operations and strategic acquisitions.
Traub and Pratte will continue to report to Boat Rocker CEO John Young.
Source: Boat Rocker Media
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
