Manuel Torres Port (pictured) joins Animation studio ZAG America in the newly created role of chief brand officer.

Based at the company’s expanded Santa Monica headquarters, Torres Port is responsible for managing digital and gaming brand franchises, consumer products and live events. Reporting to ZAG founder and CEO Jeremy Zag, Torres Port is also in charge of ZAG’s portfolio of original ZAG Heroez IP, including the popular Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir—the third season of which will be ready to launch this year—and animated series Power Players.

Prior to joining ZAG, Torres Port was the EVP of global consumer products at NBCUniversal where he contributed to growing and leading the company’s consumer product initiatives. He also previously worked as the SVP of global toys and publishing at Nickelodeon and oversaw regional and local operations for Nickelodeon and other studios.

This hire comes in the wake of ZAG expanding its leadership with a number of executive appointments. EVP of worldwide operations Julian Zag and SVP of studio and franchise marketing Liz Grampp both joined in June 2018, and the company tapped former Jim Henson Company exec Ian Lambur to lead ZAG’s new SVP of global distribution and co-productions in November. Jose Antonio Vargas, an ex-Bandai executive, has also joined ZAG in an advisory role.