Turner Europe, Middle East and Africa has appointed Marc Goodchild as its Head of Digital Content Strategy & Product. An award-winning TV producer and digital executive, Goodchild will be responsible for the overall vision for Turner’s EMEA operations, working closely with all regional content and digital teams. He will also lead the EMEA Central Digital Team and any third party vendors, provide support and editorial guidance to local heads of digital, and work closely with the central research, commercial, advertising sales, marketing, PR and franchise management teams.
Reporting to Patricia Hidalgo, SVP Chief Content and Creative Officer EMEA and International Kids Strategy, Goodchild will also build and maintain relationships with all key digital global stakeholders, both technical and editorial — particularly with the recently formed Digital Ventures & Innovation division of Turner International.
His responsibilities for developing and managing EMEA’s digital content and product strategy includes implementing Turner-owned products and content from the global business, along with those from international and/or EMEA origin that increase engagement with audiences and brands across the region.
The appointment comes as Turner evolves into a more consumer-centric, data-driven media company, with an accelerated focus on driving and expanding its portfolio of kids’ and general entertainment branded destinations across all parts of the digital ecosystem. In EMEA last year alone, the business launched 10 new YouTube channels and 16 new apps and introduced its signature CN Anything app into 7 new markets. It saw its kids’ app downloads up +83% year on year and its YouTube viewership went up more than fivefold across 18 Cartoon Network and 9 Boomerang channels. Turner EMEA currently operates more than 60 websites and other digital platforms and recently appointed DHX Media’s Wildbrain to manage its YouTube channels in both EMEA and Latin America.
Goodchild joins Turner after a period working with UK start-ups, where among other achievements he pioneered a new second-screen system for kids’ shows, and most recently a family app gifting platform. Most recently co-founder and CEO at creative app studio and technology house Gingersnap Studios, he was previously co-founder and CCO at SyncScreen providing second screen authoring and synchronisation tools for non-live and VOD productions. His career includes a mix of senior director, producer and executive roles at Disney and the BBC, and on commissions for Discovery and Channel 4. He has also worked as a digital consultant for independent production companies including Jamie Oliver, Zodiak Kids, Lion TV etc. He has a BA Hons in Politics from the University of Nottingham and a post-grad in Broadcast Journalism from City University.
