Skydance names ex-DreamWorks exec animation president

Skydance Media has named former DreamWorks Animation exec Bill Damaschke as president of animation and family entertainment, effective immediately.

In the newly created role, Damaschke will curate and oversee a team dedicated to creating animated and hybrid family programming, in conjunction with the company feature film and TV divisions.

Damaschke will report to chief creative officer Dana Goldberg and CEO David Ellison and is responsible for helping to set the overall creative direction and strategy for Skydance’s animation and family entertainment division.

The new exec will also look to expand Skydance’s new division formed with Madrid-based Ilion Animation Studios earlier this year. The division’s first two animated features include Luck and Split.

“Bill is a well-loved creative executive whose oversight of the DreamWorks Animation feature slate resulted in such global successes as Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon,” said Ellison.

“Bill will now serve as the key architect of our family entertainment business and I look forward to working alongside him to extend our vision for world-building into animation and beyond.”

At DreamWorks, Damaschke was responsible for leading the creative, artistic, and operational direction of the company.