Lighthouse Studios Creates New Role for Talent Acquisition

Ireland-based Lighthouse Studios has appointed longtime animation consultant Michael Downey to the newly created position of talent management director.

Downey’s goal will be to source out mid- to senior-level animation talent, initiating and driving a strategic and holistic approach to identifying and retaining talent to work on Lighthouse’s original IP development and service project slates.

Downey will report directly to Erik Speekenbrink, operations director, and will work closely with Claire Finn, managing director, and Gilly Fogg, head creative. He will also work with the communication manager to oversee recruitment campaigns directed at various audiences to attract new talent and promote existing talent.

Prior to joining Lighthouse, Downey was lead recruiter at Dublin-based Boulder Media, where he worked on recruiting talent for the studio’s first 3D theatrical feature, based on the Hasbro property My Little Pony.

“Since launching in 2017, Lighthouse has strived to build an inclusive, diverse and open culture that inspires and empowers creativity, fuelled by our shared values of passion, pride, persistence, playfulness, poise and people-focus,” said Finn. “With Michael Downey’s appointment, we are working to seek out talent that will not only help us to produce the very best in animated content but who will fully embody our studio culture and share in our collective desire to tell the stories that are just waiting to be told.”

Finn continued, “In less than five years since we launched, we have created a robust production pipeline in the work-for-hire space and are gearing up to begin building our original IP business in the years ahead. Talent is what makes our work great, and finding and retaining high-caliber talent to bring our creative visions to fruition is now a major focus for us. As such, this newly created role is vital to our continued growth, and we are thrilled to welcome Michael to drive this part of our business.”

Downey said, “With the flourishing animation business in Ireland and around the world, there is a massive need to bring high-level talent in to handle Lighthouse’s burgeoning production slate, and I am thrilled to work with Claire and the entire studio team to continue building a world-class studio.”