Global consumer products manufacturer Sun-Mate Corporation’s new entertainment and brand management division, SMC Entertainment, is growing its business by picking up the rights to The Jungle Book as well as a new licensing hire.

The Jungle Book deal includes all North American television, home entertainment, licensing and merchandising rights, as well as all promotional rights, to the 52 x 11-minute CGI-animated series plus a one-hour feature from DQ Entertainment. SMC has also picked up the master toy rights for the series in Australia and New Zealand and licensing and merchandising rights for South Africa.

In her newly created position of SVP of licensing at SMC, consumer products exec Lisa Streff will look to develop new partnerships for The Jungle Book brand across all key categories. She is now responsible for overseeing all consumer products initiatives for SMC Entertainment’s brands in North America, including licensing and merchandising, marketing and partnership initiatives.

The first Jungle Book season, produced by DQ Entertainment and co-produced with ZDF Group Germany, Moonscoop and TF1, has aired in more than 160 countries on networks including BBC (UK), TF1 (France), RAI 2 (Italy), TV3 (Spain), ABC (Australia), ZDF (Germany), Channel B (Indonesia), EBS (Korea), Noga TV (Israel), TVO (Canada), Televisa (Mexico) and on multiple Disney channels throughout the world.