With the creation of a new division Warner Bros. Discovery is doubling down on live experiences focused on theme parks, studio tours, themed exhibitions, and retail.
The newly formed Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences division will oversee both owned and operated ventures, such as studio tours and exhibitions, alongside licensed entertainment collaborations, including partnerships with Universal Destinations and Miral, which feature iconic attractions like Harry Potter in their theme parks.
Notably the COO of WBD Studios, Simon Robinson, will head the new Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences division. He will report to Bruce Campbell, WBD’s Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer, while also maintaining his reporting line to CFO Gunnar Weidenfels for matters related to content operations.
Bruce Campbell, WBD’s Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer, said, “WBD has an incredible mix of location-based experiences for fans around the world, from theme parks and tours to exhibits, retail and more. Bringing these two teams together under one roof gives us an opportunity to leverage and coordinate the talent and resources across all of our experiential businesses to better delight our consumers through offering even more truly authentic and engaging in-person experiences and events in every market.”
Additionally, Peter van Roden will serve as Executive Vice President of Global Themed Entertainment, overseeing licensed operations such as the Harry Potter attractions. Meanwhile, Sarah Roots will manage owned operations, including studio tours in the U.K. and Hollywood, along with retail.
Gunnar Weidenfels, CFO of WBD, said, “It’s growing very dynamically, and it is an area where we have made very significant investments. I love that business because it’s got among the greatest returns in the entire portfolio, and it’s a gift that keeps on giving in the most positive way. So we are looking at a pipeline. We’ve operated the Making of Harry Potter tour in Leavesden for more than a decade already. We opened Tokyo last year, which is going very well and has significantly contributed to growth and revenue and profitability for that unit. We’re looking at other opportunities, and it’s very clear that this is an area where I would like to take a little more risk, fund some investments, and have a lot of confidence in our ability to get great returns, because the team really knows what they’re doing, and we’ve got a mold there that works very well.”