Emmy award-winning entertainment content and technology company Bento Box Entertainment is expanding internationally with the opening of Sutikki UK. The company’s first office in Europe will be focused on growing its new kids and family business, Sutikki, which os co-founded by Andrew Kerr and Irene Weibel and launched last October
Industry veteran Stephen Gould has joined up to lead the Sutikki UK office in the new role of Territory Head – UK and EMEA. Prior to joining the company, Gould was most recently Managing Director for the UK & Eire at CPLG, where he worked on a properties portfolio that included Minions, The Secret Life of Pets, Care Bears, The Pink Panther, Jurassic World, Star Trek and Sesame Street. Over more than 28 years in the consumer products business, Gould has acquired experience in licensing, retail, product design and manufacturing, working with iconic brands like those mentioned as well as Bob the Builder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pokemon and Paddington Bear.
Gould has also held senior licensing and brand positions with Hit Entertainment, Zodiak Ent. and 4Kids Ent., and Directorships with Fox Kids Europe (Disney XD), Ragdoll Worldwide and DreamWorks before joining DHX Media as Commercial Director in 2013, then transitioning to wholly owned CPLG the following summer.
“In addition to being a fellow Ragdoll alumnus, Stephen has a raft of experience and an enviable pedigree within the licensing industry, and I am honored that he will be joining our growing team,” said Kerr. “Sutikki was founded to be an international venture, and the opening of our first European office formalizes our commitment to being a full-service, worldwide business less than six months from our launch.”
Gould’s initial focus will be on growing licensing opportunities for Moon and Me, the latest kids’ series from creator Andrew Davenport (Teletubbies, In the Night Garden) and his new production company Foundling Bird. The series is being produced in partnership with Sutikki. Moon and Me was recently given a 50-episode commission from CBeebies, which will premiere the show in early 2018. Hasbro is on board as global master toy licensee. Sutikki, which holds non-UK broadcast distribution rights and is primary global commercial product licensor, is actively seeking additional partners for the brand.
“I am thrilled to have joined Sutikki at the start of this exciting new enterprise. When I was approached by Andrew Kerr about taking this position, I had four primary interests: this market, working for a company with a compelling vision, capitalising on great capabilities and working with outstanding like-minded people,” said Gould. “To be able to engage the licensing marketplace with a top brand like Moon and Me from Andy Davenport, is both an honor and a privilege. The broad and very positive trade reaction to date has been simply phenomenal and I very much look forward to realising the ambitions of all of the partners and stakeholders not only with Moon and Me, but, also a growing portfolio of IP moving forward.”
