CMF appoints two new directors, expands Growth & Inclusion team
Toronto/Montreal, July 5, 2023 – The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is pleased to announce the appointment of two new directors and the expansion of our Growth & Inclusion team in the French market. These changes reflect the CMF’s commitment to supporting Canadian content creators across all platforms and regions, as well as advancing our equity, diversity, and inclusion strategy and objectives. The new directors are Karen Tohana, who will oversee English Content, and Emmanuelle Petrakis, who will lead Strategic Partnerships. The Growth & Inclusion team welcomes Gaëlle Essoo as French Market Liaison and Philippe Sabourin as Coordinator.
As Director of English Content, Karen Tohana brings to the CMF a wealth of experience in many sectors of the Canadian content industry, including public and private broadcasting, production, distribution, and financing. Based in Toronto, she joins us following her most recent role as Business & Rights Manager of Unscripted Programming at the CBC. Reporting to Rod Butler, VP of Content & Regulatory, Karen will be instrumental in delivering on our engagement to Canadian creators from coast to coast to coast.
Emmanuelle Petrakis, our new Director of Strategic Partnerships, has been with the CMF since 2014 and has played a central role in growing the CMF’s portfolio of more than 70 national and international partnerships. Based in Toronto, she has more than 20 years of experience in Canada’s media and screen industries, with expertise in brand management, marketing, and partnerships. Reporting to Mathieu Chantelois, EVP of Marketing & Public Affairs, Emmanuelle will continue to foster strong relationships with our partners and stakeholders.
Gaëlle Essoo is the lead editor of Now & Next, the CMF’s digital magazine that showcases innovation and a multitude of voices from across Canada’s screen-based industries. Based in Montreal, Gaëlle will now split her time between her editorial work and her French Market Liaison role with our Growth & Inclusion team. As part of her ongoing advocacy for racialized creators in Canada, her new duties will include liaising with CMF clients and stakeholders in domestic French markets and representing the CMF at key events and speaking opportunities.
Based in Montreal, Philippe Sabourin joins the CMF as our new Coordinator of Growth & Inclusion. Philippe was most recently a coordinator for the Short-Term Compensation Fund team at Telefilm, and he also has experience working on in-house productions at the SRC. Reporting to Marcia Douglas, VP of Growth & Inclusion, he will be instrumental in helping the CMF deliver on our Equity and Inclusion Strategy.
About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances, and promotes the production of Canadian content for all audiovisual platforms. In addition, it guides Canadian content towards a competitive global digital environment by supporting industry innovation, rewarding success, promoting diversity of voices, and encouraging access to content through public- and private-sector partnerships. The CMF receives funding from the Government of Canada and from cable, satellite, and IP service distributors across the country. Visit the CMF’s website for more information.
Media contact
Maxime Ruel
Senior Manager, Communications
mruel@cmf-fmc.ca
