Helen Howells
Joint Managing Director
Helen is a highly skilled entertainment professional with a wealth of creative and commercial experience across a number of disciplines: TV, DVD, Licensing and Merchandising, Sales and Marketing, Creative Development and Production Financing.
She began her career with S4C International, the commercial arm of the Welsh 4th broadcast channel, where she worked on classic children’s shows such as Fireman Sam and SuperTed.
She then joined US entertainment company, 4 Kids Entertainment as Director of International Licensing and latterly became Commercial Director. During this time she worked on hit shows Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
In 2004 she joined Target Entertainment and set up the company’s licensing and merchandising division. During this time she implemented the UK and International roll-out of Fifi and the Flowertots and was responsible for acquiring the licensing representation rights to Sony PlayStation and its associated game brands. After 6 years with Target, Helen was promoted to Commercial Director and tasked with driving the company’s brands across all platforms and media.
As Joint M.D. of Hoho, Helen oversees all of the company’s commercial activities.
Contact Helen here helen.howells@hohoentertainment.com
Oliver Ellis
Joint Managing Director
Oliver has enjoyed a 20 year career in the TV business, pitching concepts, ideas and finished programming to broadcasters around the world.
Oliver started his career editing a children’s comic, The Shoe People Monthly. He went on to write books and stories for the Shoe People characters. He joined ITEL, the UK’s leading independent distributor and was there for 25 years, eventually becoming Head of Programming for all genres. Simultaneously, he held the position of Head of Co-Production and Development at ITEL’s sister company, Cosgrove Hall Films, where he oversaw shows including Foxbusters and Fetch the Vet.
From 2000-2004 he served as Creative Director at Entertainment Rights plc, redeveloping and exec-producing The Basil Brush Show, Postman Pat and Little Red Tractor.
Oliver joined Target Entertainment in early 2006, exec-producing two series and a special of Fluffy Gardens, developing and finding finance for Target’s own slate of intellectual property, and substantially building the children’s programming library through acquisition deals.
As Joint M.D. of Hoho, Oliver oversees all of the company’s development and production activities.
Contact Oliver here oliver.ellis@hohoentertainment.com
Justin Wilkes ACMA
Finance Director
Justin joined Hoho in April 2012 as Finance Director having been at BBC Worldwide for the previous five years working on internal audit of distribution agreements, music society administration and talent payments.
He is responsible for all aspects of finance and accounting across the Hoho group of companies. His other responsibilities include administration of all broadcast and licensing contracts as well as HR and IT.
Justin has over 20 years extensive experience of intellectual property exploitation and royalties having previously been Director of Finance & Administration and Company Secretary at 4 Kids Entertainment International and Financial Controller of a start-up multi-channel Pay TV operator.
Contact Justin here justin.wilkes@hohoentertainment.com