Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has named Buddy Marini as its Japanese GM, reporting to WBD Asia-Pacific president, James Gibbons.
Based mostly in Tokyo, Marini’s position will contain main WBD’s house leisure, digital and TV licensing, shopper merchandise, anime manufacturing, franchise and pay TV networks operations, however excludes theatrical operations and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo: The Making of Harry Potter enterprise. He takes up the put up on June 3.
The corporate mentioned that Marini will likely be tasked with driving development and revenues business-wide, together with growth throughout distribution and gross sales methods, digital platforms and native anime manufacturing.
Most just lately, Marini based international cellular platform Mangamo, providing a big cellular manga library to followers worldwide. With greater than 25 years’ expertise in management throughout media and expertise firms in Japan, China and the U.S., Marini was additionally Japan’s GM for gaming firm Supercell, in addition to the CEO for streamer Hulu Japan.
Moreover, he has held management positions at Avex Group Holdings Inc., Common Studios and Mitsui-Sumitomo Funding Financial institution. Marini earned his Finance diploma at Lehigh College, Pennsylvania, and an MBA in Leisure Advertising and marketing from UCLA’s Anderson Faculty of Administration.
“Buddy brings a formidable monitor document to WBD, with 20 years of broad trade expertise throughout a number of markets and verticals,” mentioned Gibbons. “Japan is a key development driver, with alternatives to scale additional by franchise and IP improvement, distribution partnerships and content material for each native and international platforms. Buddy’s experience, confirmed management and business mindset will likely be key as we glance to ship these ambitions.”
Marini added: “I’m honored to hitch WBD at such an thrilling time within the trade. Japan holds a particular place on the earth of leisure, and I look ahead to working with the proficient group at WBD to ship world-class content material and unforgettable experiences to audiences in Japan and across the globe.”
WBD additionally confirmed the promotion of Chieko Nishi as Vice President, Head of Networks, Japan, changing Glen Kyne, who has determined to depart the corporate and can go away on July 5.
Nishi joined WBD in 2023 to guide the corporate’s content material and community operations and introduced greater than 17 years’ expertise to the enterprise, together with a job as Head of Studios at Spotify Japan. Over the previous yr, Nishi consolidated WBD’s seven-channel linear portfolio beneath a brand new three way partnership with J:COM, and spearheaded new business partnerships domestically. Nishi will report back to Marini.