Bento Box prodco hires kids veteran for UK launch

Fledgling kids prodco Sutikki is opening a UK office and has hired former 4Kids, Zodiak and DHX Media exec Stephen Gould to run the new operation.

Gould will be territory head for the UK and wider EMEA region for Sutikki, and will be looking to secure deals for Moon and Me, its first show, which was commissioned by CBeebies in the UK last month.

TBI reported last last year that Sutikki was setting up in the UK and Gould’s hire makes that move official. The new prodco was set up by kids TV veterans and former Nelvana execs Irene Weibel and Andrew Kerr, alongside In the Night Garden creator and Teletubbies co-creator Andrew Davenport.

The 50x22mins Moon and Me comes from In the Night Garden creator Davenport’s Foundling Bird and Bento Box’s Suttiki, which former Nelvana execs Irene Weibel and Andrew Kerr set up last year.

Gould is a kids industry veteran with almost three decades of experience in the business. He has worked on the Bob the Builder, Barney, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Pokémon brands for companies including Hit Entertainment, Zodiak, 4Kids, Ragdoll Worldwide and DreamWorks.

He joined DHX Media as commercial director in September 2013 and then transitioning to its CPLG business in June 2014.

“In addition to being a fellow Ragdoll alumnus, Stephen has a raft of experience and an enviable pedigree within the licensing industry, and I am honoured that he will be joining our growing team,” said Kerr. “Sutikki was founded to be an international venture, and the opening of our first European office formalises our commitment to being a full-service, worldwide business less than six months from our launch.”

Sutikki will formally open the London office this summer, and is recruiting for additional staff.

Gould said: “When I was approached by Andrew Kerr about taking this position, I had four primary interests: this market, working for a company with a compelling vision, capitalising on great capabilities and working with outstanding like-minded people. To be able to engage the licensing marketplace with a top brand like Moon and Me from Andy Davenport, is both an honour and a privilege.”