Effective December 31, 2023, Dr. Carl “Charlie” Woebcken and Christoph Fisser have retired from their positions on the Board of Directors of Studio Babelsberg AG at their own request and in mutual agreement. The Board of Directors of Studio Babelsberg AG will now consist of Andy Weltman as CEO, Andre Bleeker as Chief Financial Officer and Ashley Rice as a member of the Board of Directors.
Andy Weltman, CEO Studio Babelsberg AG, said: “We would like to express our sincere thanks to Charlie Woebcken and Christoph Fisser for their many years of dedicated leadership and their significant contribution to the success of Studio Babelsberg. In the almost two decades of their work, they have guided the studio through good times and bad and significantly expanded Babelsberg's position as one of the world's leading film production hubs. We wish Charlie and Christoph the very best for their future.“
Ashley Rice, Board Member Studio Babelsberg AG and President & Co-Managing Partner, Cinespace Studios, adds: “We are grateful for their professional support during the transition towards integration with Cinespace Studios. We are confident that with the current management team we will continue the success story of Studio Babelsberg. As part of the global Cinespace family with a total of five locations – Toronto, Chicago, Atlanta, Wilmington in addition to Studio Babelsberg – we are very well positioned to meet the demand for high-quality local and international content.“
Charlie Woebcken and Christoph Fisser will continue to work in the industry as independent producers. Woebcken will continue his political work at the Association of Technical Companies for Film and Television (VTFF) and Fisser will operate Traumfabrik Babelsberg GmbH as an independent production company.
Background:
Charlie Woebcken and Christoph Fisser took over the management of Studio Babelsberg in the summer of 2004 and took the company public in 2005. At the end of 2021, they sold their majority position in Studio Babelsberg AG to TPG Real Estate Partners, the real estate equity investment platform of alternative asset management firm TPG. In 2023, the integration of Studio Babelsberg into the global production platform Cinespace Studios, also owned by TPG, was announced. Cinespace Studios is one of the largest sound stage production facility operators in the world, with 109 active stages in Chicago, Toronto, Atlanta, Wilmington, and Germany (through Studio Babelsberg).
