Dekel to exit Saban Brands

Elie Dekel is leaving Saban Brands, the intellectual property arm of Saban Capital Group.

Dekel has run Saban Brands as president since its launch five years ago, but is now leaving to pursue other opportunities, according to Licence Global, which broke the news.

Joel Andryc, Saban Capital Group’s managing director, has been named interim president of Saban Brands while a permanent successor is found.

“We are grateful and thank Elie for his leadership and contribution to the co-founding, development and rapid growth of Saban Brands over the past five years,” said Andryc.

Dekel will remain a senior advisor to the company, but will seek a new role in the licensing and merchandising world, he told Licence Global.

Saban Brands owns properties such as Power Rangers, Popples, Julius Jr. and Digimon, and has followed a multiplatform approach pinned around television production and licensing and merchandising to exploiting them.

The company is currently producing Cirque du Soleil-inspired animated series Luna Petunia and a Popples reboot for Netflix. Julius Jr., meanwhile, has run to two seasons and Power Rangers remains on Nickelodeon as part of a deal that runs until 2016.