Andy Heyward


Genius names ex-MGM exec as finance boss

Kids-focused Genius Brands International has named former MGM finance VP Rebecca Hershinger as its chief financial officer. Hershinger will report to GBI’s chairman and CEO Andy Heyward, who has also promoted Matthew Kornberg to VP, finance. Heyward – the former DiC Entertainment and A Squared Entertainment chief who merged his operations with LA-based Genius last […]

Ex-FremantleMedia Kids sales exec lands at Genius

Former FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment distribution VP Andrew Berman has found a new role as senior VP, global sales for LA-based Genius Brands International. In the role, he will lead worldwide sales on series such as Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, Baby Genius, Stan Lee’s Mighty 7, and Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab. Berman, a […]

Heyward’s Genius Brands raises US$6m

Andy and Amy Heyward’s Genius Brands is set to raise US$6 million in funding via a share placement. The kids content company said it has signed definitive agreement to sell US$6m of shares in a private placement and that investors include Chicago-based Wolverine Asset Management, as well as the Heywards themselves, their family and friends […]

News brief: Former ABC boss joins Genius board

Former ABC Broadcast Group president Tony Thomopoulos as joined the board of Andy Heyward’s kids entertainment venture Genius Brands International. Thomopoulos spent 12 years at broadcast network ABC during the 1970s and 1980s after being hired by Barry Diller in 1973, eventually rising to the position of president. He went on to become chairman of […]

News brief: Genius concocts Thomas Edison toon

Andy Heyward’s Genius Brands International has begun production on science-themed adventure toon series Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab. Kids TV veteran Heyward had been developing the 52x11mins series before his A Squared Entertainment imprint merged with GBI last year. The series is now moving forward, with SpongeBob SquarePants writer Steve Banks attached to write the pilot, […]

Andy Heyward in Genius merger

Andy Heyward’s A Squared Entertainment has merged with California-based Genius Brands International to form a company that focuses on “content with a purpose”. The pair will combine assets under the Genius brand, with Heyward becoming CEO and chairman of the new company and his wife and business partner Amy Moynihan Heyward becoming president. Current Genius […]

Warren Buffet kids series sells globally

France’s PGS Entertainment has sold Secret KidVenture Club (fka Secret Millionaires Club), an animated series featuring investor Warren Buffett to networks in Brazil, Thailand, Singapore and Israel. The 26x30mins series, has gone to MediaCorp in Singapore, Workpoint Entertainment in Thailand, Globosat in Brazil and ZOOM in Israel. The news comes after Paris-based PGS launched an […]