9 Story Media restructures top team as creative chief Angela Santomero exits

Angela Santomero

Doc McStuffins and  Octonauts firm 9 Story Media Group has restructured its top team after Angela Santomero stepped down as chief creative officer following five years with the company.

Santomero joined 9 Story in 2018 after it acquired her company, Out Of The Blue Enterprises, and the exec subsequently took on creative oversight for the group.

Wendy Harris

She will remain a consultant for the Toronto-based firm, working on shows she created including preschool series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Blue’s Clues & You!.

Wendy Harris now takes on Santomero’s remit having been named SVP & head of creative affairs, reporting into Vince Commisso, president & CEO of 9 Story.

The VPs of development in New York, Toronto and Dublin will continue to report to Harris, as will the senior management team across production, research and interactive in New York.

“Angela has gone back to her first love, which is creating shows for kids,” said Commisso. “She’s been an invaluable leader, creator, and contributor to 9 Story and her vision and passion have dramatically improved the creative quotient of the business.”

Commisso added: “[Harris] is a highly accomplished producer and creative executive, and I am confident she will continue to strategically grow our IP with her signature style of collaboration, creativity and vision.”

9 Story is home to more than 1,000 creative staff and animation studio, Brown Bag Films, while its Dublin-based sales arm – 9 Story Distribution International – represents 4,400 half-hours of animated and live-action programming.