Veteran screen content executive Lilla Hurst is departing from her role as global head of acquisitions and content strategy at Blue Ant Studios by the end of this year.

In a memo to key suppliers, Hurst, who has been with Blue Ant for three years, wrote that she was planning on taking “a career break in 2026.” She added that it “feels like an appropriate time to take some time out in order to reset and think about my next chapter in the industry.”

Hurst became part of the Blue Ant Media organization in 2022 when the Toronto-headquartered, multi-tiered content company acquired Drive Media Rights, the U.K.-based production financing and distribution firm she established with Ben Barrett. With that move, Hurst and Barrett joined what was then Blue Ant’s distribution arm, Blue Ant International, as global head of acquisitions and partnerships and global head of content financing and partnerships, respectively.

When Blue Ant Media merged with Toronto-headquartered marblemedia in 2023, Blue Ant International combined with marblemedia’s Distribution 360 and was rebranded as the rights division of Blue Ant Studios.

In her memo, Hurst said that Blue Ant has “instructed a global search firm to secure the best candidate possible to succeed me, and our hope is that I will be here to hand over the reins to them in order to provide as smooth a transition as possible.

“I’ll also be leaving behind my wonderful team in Toronto who I have no doubt will continue to do great work and are in a great place to support my replacement when they arrive,” she added.

In the months remaining until her departure, Hurst told suppliers it would be “business as usual” and that she will be attending MIPCOM in October.

This story originally appeared in Realscreen

Photo courtesy of Blue Ant Media