Warner Bros. Worldwide Studio Operations Announces New Senior Management Structure to Represent its Three Lines of Business

(Burbank, CA) – Warner Bros. Worldwide Studio Operations today announced a new management structure to better represent its three main lines of business. Dan Dark has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Worldwide Studio Operations; Sarah Roots has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Worldwide Studio Tours and Retail; and Kim Waugh will continue to oversee the Studio’s award-winning post production operations as Executive Vice President, Worldwide Post Production Creative Services. Jeff Nagler, President, Warner Bros. Worldwide Studio Operations, made this announcement.

“Our Studio and production environments are globally recognized as best-in-class, and that’s only because of the great people we have leading our operations, including Kim, Sarah and Dan,” said Nagler. “These promotions and this new management structure not only recognize the many contributions each of them has made to our success, but also highlight the degree to which we’ll be counting on their leadership. I congratulate and look forward to continuing close collaboration with each of them, particularly as we navigate our current unprecedented circumstances and drive the strategy for the reengagement of our core business operations in the near future.”

In his new role as Executive Vice President, Worldwide Studio Operations, Dark will oversee all studio operations in both Burbank and Warner Bros.’ UK-based production facility, Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden. This oversight involves all production services, including set lighting, grip, costume, property, archives, transportation, construction and office services, and worldwide security. Dark relocated from London to Burbank for this new position.

As Executive Vice President, Worldwide Studio Tours and Retail, Roots will have oversight of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood and Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, as well as manage the teams responsible for growing these tour businesses. On the retail side, she will be responsible for all consumer-facing retail experiences associated with the Studio Tours, as well as owned-and-operated stand-alone ventures, including the upcoming Harry Potter New York flagship retail store and the Studio’s Platform 9¾ retail experiences.

Waugh will continue in his role as Executive Vice President, Worldwide Post Production Creative Services, responsible for all post production creative finishing for film, TV and games at Warner Bros.’ industry-leading post operations in Burbank, New York (Warner Bros. Sound New York) and London (Warner Bros. De Lane Lea). Under Waugh’s leadership, the Studio’s post businesses have grown substantially to include both sound and picture finishing, as well as a full range of services at the Burbank-based Motion Picture Imaging (mastering/restoration/new theatrical).

Prior to this promotion, Dark Served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the role in which he joined the company in 2011. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing the production facility as well as the lighting and scaffolding division, Warner Bros. Production Rentals, the creative hub Warner Bros. Leavesden Park and the award-winning visitor attraction Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. Dark’s association with Leavesden began before Warner Bros. purchased the property in 2010 — he was associated with the property when employed by Eon Productions to develop the Leavesden Aerodrome into a production facility for the feature film “Goldeneye” in the mid-1990s. Dark has also worked in special effects and developed and created a television production facility in Spain early in his career.

Roots most recently served as Senior Vice President, Worldwide Tours, having joined Warner Bros. in October 2010 as Vice President and General Manager, Worldwide Tours. Prior to that, she served as Director, Communications and Visitor Experience at the National Maritime Museum, Queen's House and Royal Observatory in London. Before that, she spent five years at The National Trust, most recently as Director, Central Customer Services, having previously served as Head of Marketing and Supporter Development. She also spent six years working in Theme Park Operations and Guest Services at The Tussauds Group.

Waugh was promoted to his current position in early 2019. Before that, he served as Senior Vice President, Worldwide Post Production Services, having joined Warner Bros. in October 2004. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing at AscentMedia Creative Sound Services. He was previously President of Soundelux Vine Street Studios and Signet Soundelux Studios (Motown Hitsville Studios), having held various positions at the predecessors of those two sound operations. Waugh is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), Cinema Audio Society (CAS) and the Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE).

# # #

Contact:
Jessica Zacholl
Warner Bros.
(818) 954-3599
jessica.zacholl@warnerbros.com