Warner Bros. Discovery Unveils Global Division for Theme Parks, Studio Tours, and Immersive Experiences
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Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer Bruce Campbell announced today a new global structure that unites the company's existing licensed entertainment and owned and operated teams into a single worldwide division. This structure will apply to all location-based experiences, touring exhibitions, retail destinations, and worldwide studio tours. Developing new ventures that leverage the company's world-class intellectual property, such as those with Universal Destinations & Experiences and Miral, and its celebrated operated businesses, such as Warner Bros. Studio Tours in London, Hollywood, and Tokyo, will be the primary responsibility of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences.
“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 Bruce Campbell, Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer for WBD.
The company's current Global Themed Entertainment licensing group and the Studio Tours & Retail owned and controlled division are combined into WBD Global Experiences, a new, united division. Putting WBD in a position to drive growth and become a global leader in the creation, development, licensing, and operation of location-based entertainment inspired by Harry Potter, DC, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Game of Thrones, FRIENDS, Discovery, and more, the new team will devise and carry out global strategies that offer partners the ideal blend of both models.
In addition to his current duties, Simon Robinson, the Chief Operating Officer of WBD Studios, will now be leading WBD Global Experiences. Regarding experiences, he will report to Bruce Campbell; for his studio and content operations and financial roles, he will continue to report to Gunnar Wiendenfels, WBD's Chief Financial Officer.
Robinson named two seasoned executives who will answer to him in his new Experiences organization:
Peter van Roden, Executive Vice President, Global Themed Entertainment, will continue to oversee the licensed location-based entertainment and theme park businesses, as well as the division's global business development. His team will continue to oversee the relationship between Universal Destinations & Experiences for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter sites, Miral for Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and The WB Abu Dhabi, and the company's other licensed exhibitions.
Sarah Roots, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Studio Tours & Retail, will remain in her position, overseeing Warner Bros. Discovery's owned and operated experiences. This includes the award-winning Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, as well as the Harry Potter flagship store and other retail locations. Under Sarah's leadership, along with her teams in London, Tokyo, and Burbank, these studio tours have become must-see destinations, consistently earning top industry reviews from visitors.
When announcing the Global Experiences leadership team, Robinson stated, “Peter and Sarah are masters at designing and delivering world-class, location-based experiences. Our teams are passionate about every detail, and with this dedication, we’re ready to offer even more of the exceptional experiences that fans and partners have come to expect from Warner Bros.”