Chief Talent Officer Appointed at Mercury Filmworks

Canadian animation studio Mercury Filmworks has appointed David Keneford as its first chief talent officer.

The role is part of Mercury Filmworks’ plan to build a high-performance talent management infrastructure that engages with talent at all levels. The immediate priority for Keneford will be to lead the company’s efforts in recruiting for a variety of roles, as the studio is looking to hire approximately 30 people over the next couple of months.

Keneford’s other duties will be to focus on onboarding, talent management and learning and development while continuing to forge the unique culture that sets Mercury Filmworks apart from other animation production studios. He will report to Clint Eland, Mercury Filmworks’ founder and CEO.

Among the positions that Keneford will be in charge of recruiting for are line producer, art director, senior character designers, senior layout artists, senior location designers, senior FX designers, animators and FX artists. Keneford will also lead Mercury Filmworks’ recruitment efforts at the Ontario International Animation Festival (OIAF) next month, where the company is sponsoring the Pitch THIS! Competition, as well as at multiple events in 2022. He will take charge of Mercury Filmworks’ partnerships with animation colleges too, offering internship co-ops and sponsoring scholarships and awards.

“Our employees are our most important asset,” said Eland. “Their teamwork, work ethic, organization and their drive to be better tomorrow than they were today all contribute to our unique and inspiring work environment. As we continue to grow our service work as well as our own IP, we welcome David, a progressive human resources leader to our team. He will spearhead efforts to recruit the best talent not only from Ottawa, but from around the world, and build a best-in-class talent management infrastructure that invests in the careers of our artists and technologists and supports them in building meaningful and satisfying careers with the company.”

Keneford, who has experience in various HR positions, said, “We aim to identify people who have the talent, vision and desire to make an impact on our industry, and a desire to join in the comradery among our existing team. Ottawa offers a wealth of opportunities for creative talent, and the upcoming OIAF is a great opportunity to broaden our reach and help us get in front of thousands of potential new hires.”

Mercury Filmworks has several programs in development, including Bloopy Merps, Octicorn, Once Our Land and Pangor’s of Puddle Peak. It is also currently working on several work-for-hire projects for Disney and Netflix.