DreamWorks Animation Chairman Quits Post

DreamWorks Animation Chairman Quits Post

DreamWorks Animation, the studio behind the animated franchises Shrek and Madagascar, have lost their chairman of eight years. Roger Enrico has resigned from the board of directors, The Los Angeles Times reports. 

Enrico, 67, has been the DreamWorks Animation's chairman since 2004. He is a former chief executive of PepsiCo Inc., where he steered the soft drink ship for over three decades. "Roger has been an invaluable leader to our board of directors and his guidance helped put DreamWorks Animation on a path to success from Day 1," DreamWorks Animation Chief Executive Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a statement. "I'd like to deeply thank Roger for his unfailing service over the past eight years and wish him the very best in the future." No reason for his resignation has been offered as of yet, but it was confirmed in the same statement that current board member Mellody Hobson will succeed Enrico as chairman. 

It's been a big year for the Cali-based studio; in August, DreamWorks Animation signed a five-year deal with 20th Century Fox to distribute its movies beginning next year. Fox replaces Paramount Pictures, which had been DreamWorks' partner since 2006. They have released a total of 24 animated feature films, including the series of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon.