Jeffrey Schlesinger
About Jeffrey Schlesinger
Jeffrey Schlesinger, age 70, was appointed a non‑employee director of Kartoon Studios (TOON) effective October 10, 2025. He is the former President of Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution, with three decades of operational, strategic, financial, and sales expertise and an NYU Film School degree (1977). As of appointment, board committee assignments were “not yet determined,” and he will receive the standard compensation available to current non‑employee directors. A Form 3 filed November 17, 2025 reported no beneficial ownership of TOON securities.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure/Scope | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution | President | Built WB’s worldwide television business across 220+ territories and thousands of content partnerships; oversaw international expansion of Warner Bros. Animation (10,000+ episodes) and global film distribution (e.g., Batman, Harry Potter, LOTR) | Scaled recurring revenue via syndication/licensing; IP monetization across TV, theatrical, digital, consumer products |
External Roles
- No current public-company directorships were disclosed in TOON’s appointment 8-K.
Board Governance
- Appointment and status: Appointed to TOON’s Board on Oct 10, 2025; committees to be set subsequently; no family relationships or related‑party interests disclosed under Item 404(a).
- 2024 board operations context: Board held six meetings; no director attended fewer than 75% of meetings/committees in FY2024. Chair/CEO roles are combined at TOON, which the company views as efficient given its size.
- Trading policy alignment safeguards: Company policy prohibits hedging, short sales, options transactions, margin accounts, and pledging of company securities for directors, officers, and employees.
Fixed Compensation
- Schlesinger will receive TOON’s standard non‑employee director compensation.
| Standard Director Fees and Structure | Amount/Structure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly board meeting attendance (each meeting) | Aggregate value $10,000 paid in a mix of cash and stock awards, determined by the Compensation Committee | |
| Committee chair fee (Audit/Comp/Nominating) | $10,000 | |
| Committee membership fee | $5,000 |
2024 context for non‑employee directors (illustrative): Fees and stock awards varied by role; e.g., Segall total $65,000 (Board+Chair roles), Loesch $45,000 (Board+Comp member), Davis $50,000 (Board+Audit+Nominating).
Performance Compensation
| Director Equity Grants (2024) | Dollar Value | RSUs Granted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All current non‑employee directors as a group | $142,115 | 161,767 | Director equity grants under the 2020 Plan (mix determined by Compensation Committee) |
Plan safeguards: No repricing of options without stockholder approval; change‑in‑control treatment subject to Compensation Committee discretion; clawback policy adopted Dec 1, 2023 covering erroneously awarded incentive‑based compensation.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Organization | Role | Overlap/Interlocks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not disclosed | — | — | TOON’s appointment filing did not identify other current public boards or interlocks for Schlesinger. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Global distribution leader (220+ territories), partnerships, and international IP monetization; scaled recurring revenue via syndication, licensing, streaming.
- Managed major animation libraries (Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, Merrie Melodies, MGM Animation) and film franchises (Batman, Harry Potter, LOTR).
- Strategic contributions expected: expanding global distribution channels (linear, streaming, FAST), driving revenue growth and IP monetization, strengthening strategic positioning.
- Education: NYU Film School, 1977.
Equity Ownership
| Filing | Date | Reported Holdings | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 3 (Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership) | Nov 17, 2025 | “No securities are beneficially owned.” | Filed as Director; address: c/o Kartoon Studios, Beverly Hills, CA |
Governance Assessment
- Positives for board effectiveness and investor confidence:
- Deep domain expertise in global distribution and IP monetization; relevant to TOON’s strategy to expand recurring revenue and partnerships.
- Clean related‑party profile at appointment (no Item 404(a) transactions; no family relationships).
- Company hedging/pledging prohibitions enhance alignment/discipline for all insiders, including directors.
- Watch items:
- Alignment: Form 3 shows zero ownership as of Nov 17, 2025—monitor subsequent proxy for director equity grants and ownership accumulation.
- Committee assignments and attendance: Not set as of Oct 17, 2025—evaluate 2026 proxy for committee roles and engagement statistics.
- Board leadership: Combined Chair/CEO structure may constrain independent oversight—consider monitoring for lead independent director function and executive sessions.
- Dilution sensitivity: TOON increased equity plan capacity and sought warrant share issuance approvals in 2025; equity overhang (pre-amendment) was 17.2%. These capital actions can affect shareholder perception; continue tracking plan usage and director equity awards.