Toronto’s Relish Studios, the animation house behind Barbie’s Dreamworld and Treasure X, has recruited west coast industry veterans Allan Joli-Coeur (VP of production and business affairs, pictured on the left) and Kramer Hoehn (head of production, pictured on the right).

Based in BC, Joli-Coeur will handle the financial side of Relish’s production business, reporting to CEO Paul Pattison. Hoehn works out of Vancouver and is tasked with exploring new and emerging technology (such as AI) to create original content. He reports to SVP of animation Luke Carroll. Both execs started in their new positions at the end of May.

Joli-Coeur (A Different Loyalty) has more than 30 years of experience in film and TV under his belt. He started in the industry as an entertainment lawyer at Quebec-based prodco Allegro Films, and he has worked at Apartment 11 Productions as an executive producer and at Shaw Rocket Fund as VP of operations over the last two decades. 

Hoehn (Lower Decks) brings more than 12 years of experience in animation production to Relish. Prior to joining the studio, he was head of production at Titmouse Canada, and he has held similar positions at other Canadian studios such as Yeti Farm and Atomic Cartoons.

Relish is going through a bit of a talent growth spurt, with these latest hires joining just months after Andrew Milne came on board as VP of growth in January. Relish now has more than 160 designers, illustrators, writers, animators and engineers working from offices in Canada, the US and Costa Rica.