Co-Founder, Invisible Narratives & Producer, “Songbird”

Andrew Sugerman

Andrew is a strategic and collaborative global executive whose broad experience, creative curiosity and entrepreneurial spirit drive standout results which outpace the market. Andrew’s ability to identify, design and commercialize innovative concepts that produce transformational experiences combined with his reputation for being thoughtful, inspirational and committed to delivering quality make him a well-rounded and highly effective executive.

As Executive Vice President, Disney Publishing and Digital Media, Andrew was responsible for this $3.2B global Retail / $660M Earned Revenue business and for leading a global team of storytellers charged with creating and building communities through quality Disney stories while growing Disney’s franchises across multiple formats and platforms, overseeing Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW), Advanced Media (including AR and VR), the Social Media and Micro-Content teams, Disney Digital Studios and Maker Studios, as well as distribution platform relationships for the business and broader Walt Disney Company (TWDC).  As a member of Bob Iger’s Disney+ launch team, he developed a launch slate of episodic short-form for the SVOD amongst other VOD platforms. 

Since departing Disney at the end of 2018, Andrew has been a Strategic Advisor for Maverick Carter and LeBron James’ SpringHill Entertainment and Uninterrupted.  He is currently Co-Founder, Invisible Narratives which combines the power of the most engaged digital fandoms with world-class Hollywood storytellers to develop new IP for audiences across film, television, digital content, live streaming and audio.  In 2020, Andrew has already developed, produced and sold a film to STX Studios in partnership with Michael Bay and is in production on a second film with one of the largest eSports/Gaming brands in the world, Faze Clan, slated for Q4 2020.

Andrew joined TWDC in 2007 in Shanghai as SVP / GM Disney English where he started and rapidly expanded the new and innovative consumer-facing business in children’s learning centers across the Asia region, leading the initiative from concept and business plan development through to execution, enrolling more than 100,000 students during his tenure. This award-winning business garnered the Top Education Brand from 2009 to 2011 in Shanghai and Beijing and from 2010 to 2011 for China.

In 2012, Andrew was promoted to EVP, Disney Publishing Worldwide, where he was responsible for the worldwide P&L of Disney’s $3.0B Retail / $500M Earned Revenue publishing businesses, including global vertical and licensed books, magazines and comics, digital production / publishing of eBooks, animated shorts and kids / family mobile apps, and growing digital and print learning initiatives. Notable achievements include delivering 30% CAGR for Disney Publishing from 2012 to 2016, growing Operating Income from $75M in FY12 to $230M in FY16, and increasing NYT Bestsellers from 24 in FY12 to 70+ in FY16.

Before joining Disney, Andrew worked and lived in the US and across the globe – Hong Kong, China, and the UK – where he conducted and grew business locally in more than 20 countries across EMEA, LATAM, Asia and North America. As a Founding member and President of English Live, Inc., an EF Education First company, Andrew successfully grew the revenue of a direct-to-consumer digital subscription startup within a $1B education company from concept to more than $100M per annum, enrolling 11+ million students from 150 countries.

Andrew’s earlier career began as a strategy consultant with the Parthenon Group (now EY-Parthenon) and as an operational consultant with Arthur Anderson LLP.

Andrew holds an MBA with Highest Honors from The University of Chicago, Booth Graduate School of Business, and a BBA in Business Administration from The College of William and Mary.