(June 6, 2018 – Burbank, CA) – Diane Nelson, President of DC Entertainment and President of Warner Bros. Consumer Products, who has been on a leave of absence since the end of March, will not be returning to the Studio, it was announced today.
“Diane has been a friend and colleague as well as a valued member of the Warner Bros. family for more than 20 years,” said Kevin Tsujihara, Chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. “Throughout her tenure, her leadership and contributions have helped shape the way the Studio operates today, and we’re better for having had her on our team. While we’re sad she’ll be leaving us, we completely respect and support her decision. Whatever her next chapter holds, I know she’ll make it amazing.”
“Warner Bros. has been my home for over 20 years with a wide variety of incredible professional experiences,” said Nelson. “The last nine—rebuilding and managing DC Entertainment—have been a particular highlight and privilege. With the support and talents of our staff and creators, I am proud to leave DC even stronger than when I joined it. I will miss everyone—particularly my executive management team—without whom none of our achievements could have been realized. And I am excited to take on my next professional adventure.”
As previously announced, the DC Executive Management team will continue to report to Thomas Gewecke, Chief Digital Officer and Executive Vice President, Strategy and Business Development in the interim. Pam Lifford, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products, will now report directly to Tsujihara.
Nelson was named President of DCE in 2009 and led the division to partner with Studio colleagues on the development of television projects, feature films, blockbuster video games, as well as a host of other initiatives. She successfully expanded the comic book publisher’s focus to fully realize the power and value of DCE’s rich portfolio of stories and characters, including such cultural icons as Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, across all media and platforms, while strategically integrating the DC, Vertigo and MAD brands deeply across Warner Bros. Entertainment and all its content and distribution businesses.
Select DC content highlights include:
– Warner Bros. Television Group’s broadcast network series orders include seven scripted shows based upon DC Entertainment properties for the 2017–18 season, including the hit dramas “Arrow,” “Black Lightning,” “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” “The Flash,” “iZOMBIE,” “Supergirl” and “Gotham.” Additionally, WBTVG produces “Krypton” for Syfy, “Pennyworth” for EPIX and both “Doom Patrol” and “Titans” for the DC Universe OTT service, for a total of 11 live-action TV series based on DC characters.
– In 2014, the Studio announced a robust DC film slate through 2020 in partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures that includes “The LEGO Batman Movie” (2017), “Wonder Woman” (2017), “Justice League” (2017), “Aquaman” (2018), “Shazam!” (2019), “Wonder Woman 2” (2019), “The Kitchen” (2019) and three additional titles for release in 2020.
– In partnership with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, DC is home to the most successful superhero game franchise in the industry – “Batman: Arkham.” Other DC games include “Batman: The Telltale Series,” “Batman: Arkham Underworld” and “Injustice 2.”
Nelson’s responsibilities at Warner Bros. Consumer Products included working with divisional management on the group’s global business strategies and execution to optimize Warner Bros.’ slate of film, television and animation properties. In addition, WBCP manages a successful global themed entertainment business, which includes the groundbreaking The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Previously, Nelson also served as President & Chief Content Officer of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment where she was responsible for overseeing the development of a slate of top-tier digitally powered console and mobile games, including those based on DC characters, as well as other Warner Bros. properties and original IP. She has also served as President of Warner Premiere, developing and producing direct-to-dvd feature films and short-form digital content for Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment’s distribution businesses. She was also Executive Vice President, Global Brand Management for Warner Bros. Entertainment, a group she started in 2005 in order to continue the cross-company brand management work she began on the Harry Potter property in 2000. Nelson transitioned into this cross-company role from her position as Executive Vice President of Domestic Marketing for Warner Bros. Pictures. She has held a number of other positions within the Studio, having joined the company in 1996 as Director of Worldwide Corporate Promotions.
Nelson came to Warner Bros. from Walt Disney Records, where she served as Director of National Promotions.
Active in philanthropy, Nelson serves on the Board of the Boulder, Colorado-based There with Care, a non-profit organization that supports families with children affected by critical illnesses. Nelson is a graduate of Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications, and last summer received the university’s Arents Award, which annually honors select alumni for their extraordinary achievements.
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