In a move to expand its interactive live entertainment business, Comcast subsidiary NBCUniversal Brand Development has hired former Disney veteran Carol Nygren as VP of worldwide live entertainment.

In her new role reporting directly to NBCUniversal Brand Development president Vince Klaseus, Nygren will steer the development and strategy for the company’s cross-category live events and entertainment.

Along with managing current partnerships, she will look to cement new relationships globally for NBCUniversal’s growing portfolio of properties, which was recently boosted by the company’s US$3.8-billion acquisition of DreamWorks Animation.

Most recently, Nygren led the programming efforts for alternative content at US-based event cinema specialist Fathom Events. And previously, she served as EVP and MD of Live Events Management, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP).

Nygren also did a 16-year stint at Disney, starting as director of Disney Sports Merchandise and Consumer Products before switching to Disney Ice Shows. As SVP of licensed live family entertainment, she was instrumental in turning Disney On Ice into a successful global brand.

The appointment follows the recent arrival of another ex-Disney exec, Chris Heatherly, to NBCUniversal Brand Development as its new EVP of worldwide games and digital platforms.

Both hires come after NBCUniversal axed 200 jobs at DreamWorks Animation in September in an effort to cut costs.