Former Chapman Entertainment director of production and development Emily Whinnett has joined new London-based kids and family-focused prodco Soho Square Productions as its director of programs.

Whinnett was most recently the head of development for Belfast-based Sixteen South (Driftwood Bay, Claude), and previously spent eight years at Chapman, where she led the development, production and delivery of the company’s four hit preschool shows Fifi and the Flowertots, Roary the Racing Car, Little Charley Bear and Raa Raa the Noisy Lion.

She’s now responsible for overseeing production and IP development for the prodco’s entire kids lineup that includes animated, live-action, documentary and drama series.

Founded in September, the division of Soho Square Studios has greenlit a currently untitled 52 x 11-minute preschool program as its first project. It was introduced at MIPCOM and has industry veteran Keith Chapman (Paw Patrol, Bob the Builder, Fifi and the Flowertots) on-board as co-creator.