Warner Bros. Alum Jeffrey Schlesinger Joins Kartoon Studios

Industry veteran Jeffrey Schlesinger, former president of Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution, has joined Kartoon Studios’ board of directors.

“Jeff Schlesinger is one of the most impactful executives in modern media history, and we’re honored to welcome him to the Kartoon Studios board, where I know his impact will be significant and immediate,” said Andy Heyward, chairman and CEO of Kartoon Studios. “Jeff is like a five-sport varsity player, who is adept in distribution, finance, technology, content creation and regulatory matters.”

“With experience scaling a major global distribution business, expertise in global IP monetization and a proven track record in building high-margin revenue streams from premium content, we believe that Jeff is uniquely qualified to help accelerate Kartoon Studios’ growth strategy. His insights will be instrumental as we seek to expand our global footprint, grow recurring revenue and unlock significant shareholder value.”

Schlesinger brings more than three decades of operational, strategic, financial and deal-making experience to the role. He built Warner Bros.’s worldwide television business into a division spanning more than 220 territories and thousands of content partnerships. Under his leadership, Warner Bros. generated recurring revenue in syndication, licensing and streaming for some of the most popular television properties of all time, including Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, The West Wing and Game of Thrones. He also directed the international expansion of Warner Bros. Animation, managing the animation library of over 10,000 episodes. Beyond distribution, he also oversaw the global rollout and monetization of Warner Bros.’s new releases and library feature films to all linear and nonlinear outlets worldwide, including the Batman, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings franchises.

“Kartoon Studios has assembled one of the most dynamic current portfolios of kids’ and family IP in the industry, and I’m excited to help guide its next phase of global expansion,” Schlesinger said. “With a strong foundation of owned content, strategic partnerships and scalable distribution platforms, the company is well-positioned to capture significant market share and deliver outsized growth.”

Schlesinger’s appointment comes as Kartoon Studios continues its growth plan aimed at capturing a larger share of the global kids’ entertainment market. The company is focused on expanding distribution for its portfolio, which includes new franchises based on A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh, the Stan Lee universe, Rainbow Rangers and Bitcoin Bridge, while building new revenue streams across consumer products, global licensing, FAST/AVOD platforms and streaming.