Global entertainment company Boat Rocker Media has promoted Samantha Traub to Chief Operating Officer and Michel Pratte to Chief Revenue Officer — the announcement was made by co-Executive Chairmen David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, and CEO John Young, to whom Traub and Pratte will continue to report.
Boat Rocker Media creates, produces and distributes content for all platforms, and encompasses Boat Rocker Studios (including Temple Street, Jam Filled Entertainment and Radical Sheep), Boat Rocker Rights, Boat Rocker Brands and Boat Rocker Ventures (including Industrial Brothers and The Outline).
“We are extremely fortunate to have incredible strength and depth of talent within Boat Rocker’s senior ranks,” said Young. “Sam is without a doubt the most dedicated and trusted executive I’ve ever worked with, and Michel’s passion, knowledge and expertise have been instrumental to our success thus far. Both Sam and Michel consistently deliver results and always look out for the best interests of Boat Rocker.”
“We founded Boat Rocker with a strategy to develop our creative content and make smart, strategic acquisitions that would build our portfolio. Sam and Michel have been essential in expanding our global footprint, developing and executing smart deals and growing our business into new sectors, including animation and kids programming,” stated Fortier and Schneeberg.
Traub joined the company — at the time, Temple Street Prod. — in 2007 as Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs, overseeing the structuring of domestic and international productions and co-productions, managing production legal deals and negotiated talent and partnership agreements. Traub provided key strategic and legal support on the company’s behalf in connection with Fairfax Financial’s significant capital investment in Boat Rocker in 2015. Thereafter, Traub was promoted to Senior Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs and General Counsel and in addition to leading Boat Rocker’s legal and business affairs team and managing all legal issues on behalf of the company, played a crucial role in Boat Rocker’s recent acquisition spree and expansion into distribution, kids and family programming, and animation services. In her role as COO, Traub adds to her portfolio management of Boat Rocker Studio’s production team and will oversee human resources and governance issues for the company.
Pratte joined Boat Rocker in 2008 and was quickly promoted to Director, Strategy & Business Development. Over the past eight years, Pratte has spearheaded the building of Boat Rocker’s digital division and corporate development strategy, most recently as Senior Vice President of Boat Rocker Ventures. Pratte was integral to the exponential growth of Boat Rocker’s family and kids division in 2016, including leading the acquisitions of Radical Sheep and Jam Filled Entertainment, and overseeing Jam Filled’s purchase of the principal assets of Arc Productions Ltd. in the wake of Arc’s receivership this past summer. In his new role as CRO, Pratte will oversee Boat Rocker’s Rights, Brands and Ventures divisions while continuing to lead the company’s M&A and corporate development activity.
