Turner Asia Pacific appointed Eric Lee to lead its growing location-based entertainment (LBE) business for the region. Effective immediately, Lee is tasked with identifying opportunities to develop consumer-facing experiences, such as waterparks, theme parks, branded retail, and entertainment spaces using Cartoon Network’s global kids’ intellectual properties (IP), including The Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10, Adventure Time, We Bare Bears, and other youth-focused brands.
This is a new position for Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE), Turner’s licensing and merchandising arm. Lee’s appointment is part of a wider strategy for Turner to become a more consumer-centric and IP-focused company. Turner is already in the industry with Cartoon Network Amazon, a waterpark in Thailand that opened in 2014; a Tuzuki-themed restaurant in Shanghai, China; more Cartoon Network retail stores planned for Seoul, Korea; and additional planned LBE projects in Asian markets, including family entertainment centers and retail-dining-entertainment experiences.
Lee joins Turner from Rovio Entertainment in Europe as director for global LBE. There, he worked with large-scale licensing deals and led projects such as The Angry Birds 4-D film and the Angry Birds virtual reality experience.
