Bristol-based Aardman Animations has recruited BBC Studios’ current commercial director of global entertainment Emma Hardie (pictured) to join its team next month as executive commercial and brand director.

Stepping into this newly created role on April 15, Hardie will manage financing, distribution, licensing and marketing strategies in order to drive the commercial expansion of Aardman’s brands. 

Hardie has worked at BBC Studios for seven years, with a focus on franchise-building, brand extensions and content partnerships. Earlier in her career, she was a production manager on feature films including 2014’s Paddington Bear (Heyday Films). She will leave the Beeb’s production division later this month.

In January, Aardman promoted two members of its executive board—Sarah Cox and Daniel Efergan—into key creative roles, also newly created. Cox is now serving as chief creative director, shepherding the studio’s slate of content and supporting strategic planning. She originally joined Aardman in 2017 and oversaw multi-platform programming such as Very Small Creatures (Sky) and Lloyd of the Flies (CITV) in her previous position as executive creative director.

Efergan, who has been at Aardman since 2007, is settling into an expanded role as executive creative director of interactive and innovation. The new part of his remit is all about identifying immersive storytelling opportunities for the studio’s franchises, in addition to continuing oversight of gaming and interactive operations. Efergan’s team recently developed and produced Chicken Run: Eggstraction entirely in-house for Netflix, which will launch the game this year.

Aardman co-founder Peter Lord is also in the process of stepping down from the executive board to focus primarily on his role as creative director. In addition to lending his considerable development expertise to upcoming projects as an executive producer, Lord will serve as an ambassador for the studio and the British animation industry.

Hardie, Cox and Efergan all report to Aardman managing director Sean Clarke.