Within a week of taking over as the CEO of Otter Media, Tony Goncalves has announced the appointment of four top-level senior executives. The newly appointed members are Andy Forssell as the chief operating officer, Sean Kisker as the chief Strategy officer, Jennifer Cho as the chief financial officer, and Alan Beard as the chief brand officer.
“Andy, Sean, Jennifer, and Alan are skilled executives with great instincts. They each bring a strong point of view, knowledge and vast experience,” said Goncalves. “This exceptional team will lay a solid foundation for us to continue to build and evolve Otter’s leadership in the digital media space.”
Andy Forsell is a former Hulu executive whose last company was Fullscreen, where he served as the COO. At Otter, he will be responsible for running the company’s daily operations and will oversee the technology and product development.
Kisker is a former chief strategy officer at Lionsgate Entertainment. He led content strategy, deal structuring, capital allocation, and risk management. He has a BA in Russian studies from Dartmouth College. He is also a member of Circle of Communities in Schools LA (CISLA), and a member of the Creative Council for the anti-corruption group Represent US.
Cho has more than 25 years of banking experience in corporate finance, treasury, corporate development, and financial operations. Her most recent work experience includes working with AT&T Entertainment Group’s Technology division as CFO. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame.
And the fourth new addition to the team, Alan Beard, is the co-founder of the award winning social media creative agency McBeard. The agency focused in social campaigns for media and consumer brands. His most recent career stint involves working as chief marketing officer at Fullscreen where he led the company’s marketing and communications operations. Beard has a bachelor’s degree in Music and a Master’s in Public Policy from Pepperdine University.
Otter Media was formed in 2014 with a vision to acquire, invest in, and initiate global over-the-top video services. The company currently oversees a portfolio for companies like Fullscreen and Crunchyroll. It has investments in Gunpowder & Sky and Hello Sunshine–a venture by Reese Witherspoon.
