WarnerMedia bolsters kids by hiring Disney, Playmobil execs

Monika Oomen

WarnerMedia has appointed former Disney and Playmobil execs to its recently formed kids team in Europe, Middle Was and Africa (EMEA).

Monika Oomen has been appointed head of brand for communications & franchise management, while Lars Wagner joins as head of kids channels in CEE.

Oomen is responsible for overseeing brand and communication strategy across the region for the company’s kids and family brands Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Cartoonito and Boing.

Lars Wagner

She will work across linear and digital platforms, and was most recently executive director for Disney’s marketing strategy in EMEA. She reports into Vanessa Brookman, who was named head of kids EMEA late last year.

Wagner, who also reports into Brookman, will be responsible for curating and managing the WarnerMedia kids platforms in the CEE region, including VOD services, linear channels, YouTube, websites and social media.

He will lead the local programming, presentation, marketing, PR and digital teams, and joins from toy firm Schleich, having previously been chief marketing officer at Playmobil.

Prior to that, Wagner worked at Disney, ViacomCBS and Discovery across digital services.

Brookman said the duo “bring a wealth of expertise in the kids and family entertainment field and have demonstrated excellence when it comes to innovation, leadership and digital proficiency.”

She added: “We have very big ambitions for our kids and family business both when it comes to our highly successful existing portfolio and the exciting development of the HBO Max Kids and Family offering, and I’m convinced that Monika and Lars will help us excel in achieving our goals.”

WarnerMedia rejigged its kids operations in EMEA in December ahead of the launch of streamer HBO Max, with Brookman promoted to her current role.

Cecilia Persson, who had been WarnerMedia’s VP of programming and content strategy for kids EMEA & international kids acquisitions and co-productions, left the company, as revealed by TBI, along with Lesley Bailey, VP of marketing, brand management and creative.