WildBrain chief operating officer Deirdre Brennan has been named as the new head of Australia’s screen industry funding agency.

Brennan will assume her role as CEO of Screen Australia on Jan. 8, 2024, taking over from Graeme Mason, who has been serving in the role for a decade and is departing the agency in early November, according to a news release.

Brennan joined Toronto-headquartered kids and family entertainment company WildBrain in 2020 as EVP, content partnerships, before being promoted to COO in 2021. She also served a 10-month stint as VP of content at Corus Kids.

The appointment marks a return to Australia for Brennan, who was head of children’s television at the country’s public broadcaster ABC from 2013 to 2016. She has held several roles, including director of television, general manager and director of content, at BBC Worldwide Australia.

Nicholas Moore, chair of Screen Australia’s board of directors, said Brennan’s appointment “represents a remarkable opportunity to expand our capacity to tell Australian stories and connect with international audiences in new ways,” in a statement.

“I am excited to return to Australia to lead such an important organisation, focusing on building a sustainable future for the creative industry amidst evolving technologies, competitive pressures and expanding platforms,” added Brennan.

Brennan’s connection to the screen industry in Canada may prove to be a bellwether for coproduction efforts between Canada and Australia. The agency previously partnered with the Canada Media Fund in 2015 to launch the Canada-Australia Interactive Digital Media Incentive for coproductions between the two countries.

As of March 1, a total of 72 Canada-Australia copros have been produced since the two countries formed a treaty in 1990, according to statistics from Screen Australia. The projects, which span features (12), TV dramas (17), animation (28), and documentaries (15), represent a total budget of AUS$625 million.

Photo courtesy of Screen Australia