Warner Bros. Discovery is betting big on its tours and theme parks to drive global business growth. 

In a major restructuring move, WBD is streamlining its Global Themed Entertainment licensing group—which includes The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions—and its Studio Tours and Retail divisions into a single business unit.

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences will be tasked with growing the company’s fan-facing experiences based on franchises including Harry Potter, DC, Looney Tunes and Scooby-Doo. WBD Studios COO Simon Robinson will helm the new division, reporting to WBD’s chief revenue and strategy officer Bruce Campbell, while continuing to report to CFO Gunnar Wiendenfels on content operations.

To better collaborate and explore new opportunities as one team, Robinson has brought veteran WBD execs Peter van Roden and Sarah Roots along with him. Van Roden will retain his existing EVP of Global Themed Entertainment title and continue to lead WBD’s licensed location-based entertainment and theme parks businesses, including Universal Destinations & Experiences’ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter locations, and Miral for Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and The WB Abu Dhabi. 

Roots will also keep her current EVP of Worldwide Studio Tours & Retail title and continue to oversee experiences in London, Tokyo and Burbank, including the Warner Bros. Studio Tour—The Making of Harry Potter, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood and the Harry Potter flagship store.  

This restructure is “very much an investment and expansion strategy, so no personnel impacts are involved,” a WBD rep told Kidscreen.

The consolidation comes on the heels of WBD reporting a net loss of nearly US$10 billion in its latest financial report for Q2.