HALIFAX – DHX Media co-founder and executive chairman Michael Donovan was named Canada's 2015 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year at a gala event in Toronto earlier this week.
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is a global award celebrating those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 140 cities in 50 countries.
This award follows Donovan's win in October of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award for Canada's Atlantic region. He will now compete with more than 50 other country winners for EY's World Entrepreneur Of The Year award next June in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
“Michael was chosen as the Canadian winner for his industry foresight and relentless belief in the demand for good-quality entertainment content”, reads the EY news release. “At a time when the threat of online, on-demand viewing was imminent and content was undervalued, Michael knew the web would become one big and lucrative outlet for children’s shows. With conviction and an enviable work ethic, Michael built a company that has become one of the world’s leading providers of entertainment content for children and families.”
Under Donovan's leadership, first as CEO and now as executive chairman, DHX Media has grown from its $20 million IPO in 2006, to become a global leader in the kids and family entertainment industry, with a $1 billion market capitalization. DHX Media today employs more than 1,100 personnel worldwide, owns Canada's largest animation studio, four leading children's television channels, and is home to such iconic shows as Teletubbies, Inspector Gadget, Yo Gabba Gabba!, and Degrassi.
"It is a great honour to have received this award, especially given the strong caliber of the other finalists”, said Donovan (pictured), in a statement. “I want to thank EY for their diligent work encouraging and supporting entrepreneurship, and I look forward to representing Canada at the world event."
Photo credit: Chris Reardon
