Rai Kids, the children’s & family division of Italian public broadcaster Rai, has appointed Roberto Genovesi to succeed Luca Milano as head of the network. Milano announced he will be stepping down as Executive Director of Rai Kids (which covers preschool channel Rai Yoyo, children’s channel Rai Gulp and Rai’s kids’ animation production and co-pro businesses) in April after more than 30 years with the pubcaster. Rai is one of the leading commissioning broadcasters in Europe.
Milano was named Executive Director of Rai Kids (then Rai Ragazzi) in 2017 and confirmed as head of the division in Rai’s 2020 reorganization. Prior, he was deputy executive director of the prime-time drama branch Rai Fiction for many years. Milano also served as Chairperson of the Kids Media group of EBU, the association of European public broadcasters.
“Without RAI’s support, Italian animation would not have reached the high standards acknowledged in today’s world,” commented Francesco Manfio, head of APA’s (Audiovisual Producers Association) Animation sector. “Not only thanks to its crucial investments, but primarily to the people in RAI who believed that animation could become a strategic industry in our country. First and foremost among these is Luca Milano, now leaving the direction of RAI Kids, and who contributed to world-wide successful Italian productions, with series such as Pet Pals, Winx, Leo da Vinci and 44 Cats. Thank you, Luca, for your ideas, your professionalism and also for your keen wit.”
Genovesi returns to Rai Kids, having previously served as Deputy Head of Rai Ragazzi, during which time he oversaw the launches of the free-to-air channels Rai Gulp and Rai Yoyo. Since 2023, he has been in charge of Rai Libri, the publishing arm of Rai, and was appointed head of Special Projects for Rai Com.
An author, screenwriter and journalist, Genovesi has also been a champion of Italian and European animation as Artistic Director of the Cartoons on the Bay festival from 2009, and was Cultural Director of the comic convention Expocartoon for two years.
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