Canada Media Fund Restructures Leadership Team

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) has unveiled its restructured leadership team, which will drive the organization’s new content-centric, platform-agnostic program mode.

“The CMF is restructuring its executive leadership as the organization embraces change and prepares to respond to the needs of Canada’s screen-based industry, now and as the future unfolds,” said Valerie Creighton, president and CEO. “With this restructuring, the CMF will be better positioned to focus on talent development, content development and market development, ensuring the wide diversity of our storytellers is front and center. Content is our true North Star.”

“I have guided the Canada Media Fund through restructuring in the past, and I know that change doesn’t always come easy, but I am privileged to have a fantastic team of skilled, talented and experienced people at all levels of the organization that have shared their ideas and vision for the future of the CMF. This is an opportunity to build on the CMF’s long-standing support of our industry, to deliver innovative and inclusive ways to showcase Canadian talent and to get the CMF future-ready,” added Creighton.

This restructuring comes as a result of the departure of two senior leaders at the CMF—Chief Operating Officer Sandra Collins, who will leave the organization in September 2022 after 15 years; and former Chief Strategy Officer Kelly Wilhelm, who left in late 2021 to return to federal politics.

Nathalie Clermont has been named executive VP of content strategy and business development at the CMF. She will lead the development and implementation of strategies and new models for the audiovisual sector. Rod Butler, who was most recently the director of programs and policy, is now VP of content and regulatory. A trained lawyer, Butler will be responsible for further developing the CMF’s content funding policies and advising on legislative and regulatory issues that impact the CMF. Three new directors will work with Clermont and Butler for English content, French content and interactive digital media content.

Mathieu Chantelois has been appointed executive VP of marketing and public affairs. He will lead the communications team, public affairs outreach and marketing initiatives, and will work closely with the growth and inclusion team.

Tamara Dawit, who joined the CMF in 2020, has been elevated to VP of growth and inclusion. Since joining the CMF, she has led the implementation of the organization’s equity and inclusion strategy. She will continue leading the organization’s inclusion strategy with a renewed focus on growth. A newly hired director of growth and inclusion will support Dawit.

Dawit said, “Since I joined the CMF nearly two years ago, we’ve positioned inclusion as not only a business imperative, but as part of our core CMF values. Intersectional inclusion is a critical driver for our industry’s growth. The Canadian screen sector is made stronger through the participation of diverse creators and their stories. I’m proud to be a champion for these voices.”

Richard Koo, who is the CMF’s new VP of analytics and strategic insights, heads TV and digital measurement initiatives at the CMF and has over 20 years of experience in the Canadian media industry.

Creighton said, “I’m excited for the future of the CMF and our industry. Congratulations to the new senior management team. Together, we will position content at the center of what we do, with new strategies, models, financing tools and new partnerships to keep Canada’s storytelling successful in world markets. Consultation is in the DNA of the CMF, and we will work with our stakeholders to embrace and celebrate change in the screen-based industry, as we prepare to become future-ready. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.”