New York’s Trustbridge Global Media (TGM) has recruited former Boat Rocker EVP of kids & family content Bob Higgins to head up a new children’s entertainment company it’s launching. 

Run by Shanghai-based parentco and private equity firm Trustbridge Partners, TGM was founded in 2016 and manages approximately US$8 billion in investment capital.

Starting immediately and reporting to TGM managing director John String, Higgins will serve as president of the still-unnamed company, running day-to-day operations including sourcing, developing and producing kids and family content based on bestselling book titles from TGM’s publishing businesses.

The company is “aggressively expanding” its kids and family content business and looking for talented storytellers and creators to fill out its team, said String in a release.

During his four years at Boat Rocker, Higgins oversaw creative direction and was instrumental in developing new projects for linear networks and streamers. He shepherded many successful series through production, including A Tale Dark & Grimm for Netflix, Amber Brown for Apple TV+ and preschool toon Dino Ranch for Disney Junior.

Higgins previously worked as an EVP for FremantleMedia’s kids and family business (2010 to 2018) and head of creative at WildBrain (2008 to 2009).

TGM has been working towards developing kids and family programming since its launch six years ago. It started off acquiring several children’s publishers, including Massachusetts-based Candlewick Press, New York’s Holiday House and, most recently, Walker Books in the UK.

The company made its first major play in the kids feature film space last year, partnering with New York-based MiMO Studios to adapt Brittany Geragotelis’ book series The Infamous Frankie Lorde into a live-action movie.