Genius Brands Launches Sales Arm

US children’s content firm Genius Brands International (GBI) has tapped a kids TV veteran and former FremantleMedia exec to lead its new global distribution division.

Andrew Berman has been appointed senior VP of global sales at GBI, where he will report to the company’s chairman and CEO Andy Heyward.

Berman will be responsible for overseeing worldwide distribution of GBI’s children’s content catalogue, which includes Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, Baby Genius, Stan Lee’s Mighty 7 and Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab.

The company, which last month raised US$6m in funds through a private placement, is based in LA. In November last year it merged with rival content firm A Squared Entertainment with the aim of producing original content and developing interactive digital entertainment across all formats including broadcast, online, mobile and tablet devices.

Berman left his role as VP of distribution, children’s programming and family entertainment at FremantleMedia in September last year, having joined in 2011.

While there, he launched preschool show Tree Fu Tom and action series Max Steel on the global market.

More recently, he agreed to help US lifestyle content distributor Veria Living Worldwide sell a live-action series designed to fight child obesity.

He has also worked at Sega’s Japanese animation subsidiary TMS Entertainment and IDT Entertainment, which is now part of Starz Media, during his 25 years in the TV business.

His appointment at GBI follows the arrival of Matthew Kornberg as finance controller in April.