WBD announces Global Experiences division
September 6, 2024
WBD Global Experiences will be charged with strategically expanding the company’s fan facing experiences and pursuing new businesses that capitalise on the company’s intellectual property like those with Universal Destinations & Experiences and Miral, and its operated businesses including Warner Bros Studio Tours in Watford, Hollywood and Tokyo.
“WBD has an incredible mix of location-based experiences for fans around the world, from theme parks and tours to exhibits, retail and more,” said Campbell. “Bringing these two teams together under one roof gives us an opportunity to leverage and coordinate the talent and resources across all of our experiential businesses to better delight our consumers through offering even more truly authentic and engaging in-person experiences and events in every market.”
WBD Global Experiences combines the company’s existing Global Themed Entertainment licensing group, and the Studio Tours & Retail owned and operated division into a new unified division. The new team will develop and execute on global strategies that offer partners a mix of both models, putting WBD in a position to drive growth in the creation, development, licensing and operating of location-based entertainment inspired by Harry Potter, DC, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Game of Thrones, Friends, Discovery and more.
Simon Robinson, Chief Operating Officer of WBD Studios will add leadership of WBD Global Experiences to his responsibilities. He will report to Campbell for Experiences and will continue reporting into WBD’s Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiendenfels for his studio and content operations and financial roles.
Robinson has appointed two veterans to his new Experiences organisation who will report to him: Firstly, Peter van Roden, Executive Vice President, Global Themed Entertainment, will continue in his role leading the licensed location-based entertainment and theme parks businesses as well as the division’s global business development. His team will continue to manage the partnership with Universal Destinations & Experiences for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter locations, Miral for Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi and The WB Abu Dhabi, and the company’s other licensed exhibitions. And Sarah Roots, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Studio Tours & Retail, will continue in her role leading WBD’s owned and operated experiences including the award-winning Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter, the Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood and the Harry Potter flagship and other retail stores.