Promotion Comes as the Company Wraps Up Its Highest Revenue Year Ever
By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Anyone following stories in TLL about Dr. Seuss Enterprises will know the company has been on a tear of lucrative licensing deals.
And as revenues have soared, Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced that its president Susan Brandt is also taking on the role of CEO.
Brandt is an entertainment industry veteran who has been leading the company for more than two decades, and has been remarkably successful in turning the Dr. Seuss characters into a wide variety of films, TV shows, and consumer products.
“It has been my distinct pleasure to work with Susan Brandt over the last twenty years, so I am delighted that the Geisel-Seuss Enterprises (GSE) Board of Directors has decided to promote her to CEO,” said Brian E. C. Schottlaender, Chair of the GSE Board. “Over the years, Susan has put her heart and soul into Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and under her leadership, the company has expanded into new markets and expanded its suite of products. We look forward to working with Susan to realize the myriad opportunities before us, while promoting our core values of literacy, education, and instilling confidence and creativity in children.”
The promotion means Brandt will continue to lead the charge around the beloved entertainment property and oversee the worldwide operations.
During her tenure Susan Brandt has put a focus on finding new and innovative ways to connect with fans. The Dr. Seuss brand has expanded from books to include films, television, stage productions, theme parks, digital games, exhibitions, licensed products, and more while maintaining the integrity of the beloved Dr. Seuss stories and characters. Under Brandt’s stewardship, 2021 was the highest revenue year in the company’s history. Most recently Brandt signed two deals with Netflix for the hit series Green Eggs and Ham and with PBS-TV for the award-winning show The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That!
When it comes to deal making, Brandt clearly ‘knows a lot about that!’
Brandt’s expertise runs across entertainment media, publishing, digital, retail, and consumer goods businesses as she manages Dr. Seuss’s billion-dollar global franchises. Some of her most recent deals for the portfolio include a three-part movie deal with Warner Animation Group, the launch of the first ever NFT experience for Dr. Seuss with Dapper Labs, and conceiving the idea for the highly successful traveling exhibition, the Dr. Seuss Experience, with Kilburn Live. That’s in addition to the deals with Netflix and PBS-TV.
After more than two decades working with Dr. Seuss, Brandt says she is even more excited to see what the coming years will bring in the position of CEO.
“I am a lifelong fan of Dr. Seuss and it’s been a privilege to be part of this company, collaborate with great partners, and wonderful employees to expand the Dr. Seuss universe in ways that continue to delight,” Brandt said. “I’m looking forward to continuing the wonderful work of guiding, innovating around, and protecting this widely beloved property.”
Prior to joining Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Brandt was Vice President of home entertainment at 20th Century Fox Film Corporation where, working with the President, she launched the $500M international video division and then ran the $320M Asia Pacific region while working and living in Hong Kong. Brandt graduated with a BA degree from the University of Notre Dame and holds a Master’s of Management degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Dr. Seuss Enterprises owns and manages the Dr. Seuss intellectual property. The company was founded in 1993 and is based in San Diego, California.
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