Kylie Watson-Wheeler
As Senior Vice President & Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company, Australia and New Zealand, a role she has held for 7 years, Kylie is responsible for all areas of the business encompassing film, media, streaming, local content production, consumer products, retail, digital and home entertainment distribution, as well as the management of the group’s television channels. In addition, she has regional responsibility for ESPN and National Geographic for the Asia Pacific Region. She is also the President of The Western Bulldogs AFL Club and holds board positions for The Australian Ballet and Mentone Grammar.
Collectively, she oversees a portfolio of content and products across Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, ESPN, 20th Century Fox and National Geographic, and is responsible for driving the company’s strategy, leading, and expanding all business divisions, and seeking out new business opportunities in the region. This includes partnering with the Australian and New South Wales Government to support the filming of Walt Disney Company blockbuster films at the company owned Disney Studios in Sydney. Under Kylie’s oversight, current film projects will produce an additional 3,000 local jobs within the Australian screen industry, engage 1,650 local businesses in the process, and offer a trainee program to further enhance the skills of tertiary students.
Under Kylie’s leadership the Disney+ streaming service launched in the Australian market in November 2019, the first market to launch outside of North America. Following the successful local launch, the Australian Market was the first to deliver a profitable streaming platform driven by the local strategy that enhanced reach and expanded audiences while maximizing commercial return.
Kylie brings a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise to her role, with 20 years’ experience working for The Walt Disney Company across multiple areas of the business. Her previous roles have spanned consumer products, marketing, retail, sales, and theatrical distribution, integrated marketing, media strategy, partnerships, social media, and communications. In addition, she previously held the position of Director of Walt Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) across the Region for Australasia, South East Asia, India and Korea.
Before commencing her career with Disney in 2004, Kylie was the Director of Advertising and Brand management for Hallmark Cards Inc. based in Kansas City, USA, where she oversaw and managed the marketing function for Hallmark’s global business. Prior to moving to the US, Kylie held positions at Hallmark Australia, Coca-Cola Amatil, and Penguin Books.