Raphaelle Mathieu is starting a fresh chapter in the kids biz as founder and CEO of Samax Entertainment.

Heading up this newly established Parisian company, Mathieu will work closely with producers and play a key role during the early stages of kids & family projects. “The idea is to serve as a financing packager or as an executive producer,” she tells Kidscreen. “I see my job as a deal-maker and solution-finder.”

Mathieu says her role is flexible and can adapt to the needs of projects on a case-by-case basis, and she could also potentially work on the creative development process for certain titles.

With experience in both genres, she’s open to getting involved in animated and live-action concepts. And she’s specifically interested in TV projects aimed at kids and families, although she’s open to tween- and teen-skewing programming as well.

Mathieu reveals that she is already attached to her first project as an executive producer— Hundred Acre Wood’s Winnie and Friends, Kartoon Studios’ buzzy TV adaptation of the Pooh brand. 

And there’s likely more news to come from Samax soon. “I’m having many discussions with producers in Latin America, Europe and Asia,” Mathieu says. “As [the landscape] is evolving so rapidly, I’m looking to [explore] new types of formats and new types of financing investors.”

This is Mathieu’s first gig since her nine-year stint at France’s Cyber Group Studios, which was ordered to go into liquidation earlier this year. Starting out as a sales SVP for the studio behind Gigantosaurus, she most recently spent two years working as the company’s COO.

“I love the kids & family business, and I’m extremely happy and proud to keep working in this industry,” Mathieu says, confirming that she will attend two big market events around the corner. “I’m more than happy to meet everyone back in the game at Brand Licensing Europe and MIPCOM.”