LOS ANGELES, Feb. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Otter Media CEO Tony Goncalves announced today the appointment of four key senior executive team members. Andy Forssell has been named chief operating officer, Sean Kisker has been named chief strategy officer, Jennifer Cho has been named chief financial officer, and Alan Beard has been named chief brand officer.
"Andy, Sean, Jennifer, and Alan are skilled executives with great instincts. They each bring a strong point of view, knowledge and vast experience," said Goncalves. "This exceptional team will lay a solid foundation for us to continue to build and evolve Otter's leadership in the digital media space."
Forssell, Kisker, Cho, and Beard all have proven track records in both corporate enterprises and entrepreneurial endeavors, and their combined expertise will allow Otter Media to grow its portfolio of media and entertainment services.
Forssell joins Otter from Fullscreen where he served as chief operating officer. At Fullscreen, he oversaw the company's day-to-day operations and led technology and product development. He previously served as CEO of Showyou, a video aggregation service, and led Hulu's content business, including its push into original programming. Forssell began his career as a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army. He earned bachelor's degrees from the United States Military Academy and Carnegie Mellon University, and received his MBA from Harvard Business School.
Kisker has served as a personal adviser to founders and CEOs of leading early-stage technology and entertainment ventures. From 2003 to 2016, he held senior positions at Lionsgate Entertainment, most recently as chief strategy officer, helping the company grow from $500 million to more than $5.6 billion in revenues. His responsibilities at Lionsgate included content strategy, deal structuring, capital allocation and risk management. Kisker received his BA in Russian studies from Dartmouth College. He is a member of the Professional Circle of Communities in Schools LA (CISLA), and a member of the Creative Council for the anti-corruption group Represent US.
Cho joins Otter with more than 25 years of experience in banking, corporate finance, treasury, corporate development and financial operations. She has held senior leadership positions at AT&T, DIRECTV and Gap Inc. Most recently she served as CFO of AT&T Entertainment Group's Technology & Operations division, with responsibility for expense and capital management, financial analysis and execution against cost structure initiatives. Cho holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame and has served on the Notre Dame Alumni Diversity Board.
Alan Beard co-founded the award-winning social media creative agency McBeard, which specialized in social campaigns for media and consumer brands. Fullscreen acquired McBeard in May 2015. Beard previously served as chief marketing officer at Fullscreen, where he oversaw the company's marketing and communications operations. Beard earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Masters in Public Policy from Pepperdine University.
About Otter Media
Otter Media is a venture formed in 2014 to acquire, invest in and launch global over-the-top (OTT) media services. Otter aims to take advantage of the rapid growth of online video services and emerging social fandoms. One of the strategic focuses of the venture is to invest in and build advertising and digital media services for targeted audiences.
Otter Media's portfolio includes Fullscreen, a leading global youth media and social marketing company; Rooster Teeth, a pioneering digital content producer; Ellation, Otter's SVOD-focused company which manages Crunchyroll, the world's leading global subscription and ad-supported video platform for Japanese anime, and VRV, a multichannel video platform built for a community of fans who love anime, animation, gaming, comedy, fantasy and technology; Gunpowder & Sky, an award-winning independent global studio, dedicated to creating, marketing and distributing video content unrestricted by form, genre or platform; and Hello Sunshine (minority), a cross-platform brand and content company for women founded by Reese Witherspoon.
OTTER MEDIA TOPLINE STATS & FACTS
Otter Media reaches more than 90 million unique viewers per month and totaled almost 100 billion video views in 2017.
SOURCE Otter Media
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