Toronto-based media company Underknown has appointed Julie Hope as its new CFO, replacing Dennis Dupuis, who had been with the company since October 2017.

A seasoned CFO/COO with over 25 years of experience, Hope (pictured) specializes in building strategic plans and financial models, making “her the perfect fit to help lead Underknown into a new period of growth,” the company announced in a blog post on its website.

Hope previously worked at tech company Chatter Research (recently acquired by Stingray) as well as prodcos Halfire Entertainment and Insight Productions, broadcasting and media company GlassBox Television, and Canwest.

She started her career as a certified public accountant in the entertainment group at KPMG, where she specialized in taxation, and has had a career-long relationship with Richard Wilks, Underknown’s head of legal and business affairs.

At Underknown, she’ll spearhead the cost structure of the company’s shows and streamline some of its processes to help the company’s storytelling thrive, said the site. She believes StorySuite, Underknown’s proprietary software that uses data to inform its producing endeavours, “could be the lever that the company needs to become that billion-dollar asset,” Hope said in the post.

Dupuis’ focus is small business, and as Underknown moved into the mid-sized range (eight figures) and into TV, “it was a mutual decision to look for someone with both tech and TV background, and growth-focused. Julie is that rare mix of both,” Underknown co-founder and CEO Steve Hulford tells Playback Daily.

Underknown has also announced British producer Sam Barcroft has joined its advisory board.

The appointments come as Underknown makes a push into long-form content with development of IP under a new TV production division that debuted at last month’s MIPCOM in Cannes. The slate at the Underknown Studios division includes a long-form version of the company’s Webby Award-winning science documentary web series What If.

“As we launch our studio, we will have someone with a unique mix of production and technology finance experience helping to lead the way. Julie has done everything from capital raises to exits and produced TV shows of all budgets. We are delighted to have her,” said Hulford in the blog post.

“Julie, in turn, is excited to help build Underknown and its shows into a global franchise.”

Image courtesy of Underknown