Wattpad Webtoon expands senior team & launches animation division

L-R: Sera Tabb, Lindsey Weems Ramey & David Madden

Wattpad Webtoon Studios has expanded its leadership with several hires, including a new head of global TV, and launched an animation division.

The new structure comes following the arrival of former AMC Networks, Fox and Berlanti Productions exec David Madden as head of global entertainment last month.

Sera Tabb has joined as head of global television, while Lindsey Weems Ramey has been promoted to head of global film and Taylor Grant will lead the studio’s newly formed division as head of global animation.

In her new role, Tabb will oversee all aspects of development across the studio’s growing slate of series adaptations from Webtoon’s global IP catalog and Wattpad webnovels.

Tabb most recently served as SVP of development at Picture Perfect Federation, where she set up projects including Apple TV+’s Coda, the first streaming film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. She has also served as a TV development executive at Global Road in addition to positions at Skydance Media, Sony Pictures Television, and United Talent Agency.

Ramey has meanwhile taken on an expanded role as head of global film. Since joining the former Wattpad Studios in 2018 as the director of content development and production, Ramey has worked on projects including the upcoming feature film Float and Netflix’s Through My Window (aka A Través de mi Ventana).

Animation expansion
Grant, the former head of Webtoon Studios, will now serve as head of global animation, leading the new division, and overseeing IP development on all animated film and television projects, including serving as executive producer on the upcoming animated series adaptation of Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus, co-produced with The Jim Henson Company.

Recently hired director of development and Bento Box alum Sydney Bright will serve on Grant’s team.

Grant, Tabb and Ramey will all report to the newly appointed Madden – who oversees development, production, and sales for the studio’s global TV, feature film, and animation businesses.

The studio has also appointed Criswell Fiordalis as head of finance and strategy for the studio; Austin Wong as head of legal and business affairs; Jess Brinder as director of international business development, Bego Robles as director of international development and production and entertainment publicity lead Ellen Kuni.

Wattpad Webtoon Studios is the publishing arm of comics platform Webtoon and social reading service Wattpad. It was created in 2021 when the entertainment and publishing divisions from Webtoon and Wattpad were merged, following the $600m acquisition of Wattpad by South Korean internet giant Naver.

It has 100 shows in the works and has struck pacts with companies ranging from Fremantle and Constantin Film to ViacomCBS International Studios.

“Millions of fans around the world have fallen in love with the storytelling on Webtoon and Wattpad,” said Aron Levitz, president of Wattpad Webtoon Studios. “We’ve put together a world-class team to bring this content to market and bring those fan communities their favourite stories in new formats. With David at the helm, and Sera, Taylor, and Lindsey heading up our newly formed divisions, we’ll continue to make some of the most exciting entertainment on the planet.”