Breakthrough Entertainment’s president of distribution Nat Abraham (pictured) and CFO Michael McGuigan have acquired a stake in the Toronto, Canada-based company, joining founders Ira Levy and Peter Williamson as partners.

The announcement comes as the studio celebrates its 30th anniversary with continuing worldwide production and distribution growth for its family entertainment and children’s animated properties (Rocket Monkeys, Zerby Derby, My Big Big Friend, The Adventures of Napkin Man) as well as primetime comedy and drama series, factual entertainment, documentaries, television movies and feature films.

Levy and Williamson say the more than 20 years of combined experience Abraham and McGuigan have with Breakthrough, as well as their years of additional industry experience, will continue to strengthen the company’s position as a world leader in production and distribution.

Michael McGuigan

Prior to joining Breakthrough, Abraham spent an 11 years at Nielsen Media Research Canada as group sales and marketing manager, and was VP of 20th Century Fox/Astral Distribution. McGuigan was previously Cambium Films VP of finance and controller for 20th Century Fox/Astral Distribution.

Levy also says Breakthrough executive producer Joan Lambur will continue to be a key player as the company looks to grow its kids slate. “We’re blessed to have the best executive producer in kids and family animation and live-action programming in Joan Lambur. She’s gung-ho to continue to develop and put more shows into production as are we all,” Levy says.

He adds that the company, in terms of new digital media for kids, will continue to expand across OTT platforms and in the online gaming and app space.  “It’s a tremendous area to grow especially with our own IP. In addition, the opportunity is not just around what platforms are available, but what partners we can find in the case of international co-productions, for example.”

Increased original production and distribution of third-party feature films and TV movies for families is an additional growth area for Breakthrough as it moves forward.

Since launching in 1984, Breakthrough has become one of Canada’s leading television, film, and digital media production and distribution companies, boasting a library of more than 3,000 half-hours of programming and a significant portfolio of digital content for eBook, webisode, online and mobile game formats. The studio’s programs have been sold to broadcasters in more than 200 global territories.

Terms of the latest transaction were undisclosed.