Cartoon Saloon Names ‘The Breadwinner’ Producer Anthony Leo CEO

Cartoon Saloon has a new chief executive, recruited from the friendliest place on Earth. The Kilkenny studio announced today that Anthony Leo, the Canadian producer best known as co-founder of Toronto’s Aircraft Pictures, is joining the outfit as CEO. He takes over from Gerry Shirren, who retired at the end of last year after twelve years as managing director.

Leo is not a new face around Cartoon Saloon. Aircraft Pictures has been a co-production partner of the studio since The Breadwinner (2017), for which Leo received an Academy Award nomination alongside director Nora Twomey. That film, along with previous efforts like The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea, as well as the Apple TV+ original Wolfwalkers, helped cement the studio’s position as one of the most consistently acclaimed independent animation outfits in the world, collecting five Oscar nominations over the course of Shirren’s tenure.

Leo brings serious operational experience to the role. His recent credits beyond The Breadwinner include the Netflix Top 10 series Geek Girl and Youngblood, which premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and opens in North American theaters this week. He remains chairman of the board at Aircraft Pictures and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The timing of the appointment is worth noting. Cartoon Saloon is at something of an inflection point. Julián, the upcoming feature based on Jessica Love’s picture book Julián is a Mermaid, will be the studio’s first film directed by someone other than one of its three co-founders, with Louise Bagnall, whose short Late Afternoon earned an Oscar nomination in 2018, taking the helm. The studio is also in the third season of Puffin Rock with co-producer Dog Ears, a series that has been scaling steadily across global platforms, and last year released the breathtaking short Éiru.

Co-founder Tomm Moore said of the hire: “Anthony’s deep understanding of production, international co-financing, and global distribution uniquely equips him to guide Cartoon Saloon into its next phase of growth and innovation. His passion for artist-driven storytelling aligns perfectly with our mission. We thank Gerry for his dedication to our artists, for the massive positive impact he’s had on our organization, and wish him every happiness upon his retirement.”

Leo, for his part, added: “Having collaborated with Nora, Tomm, Paul, and Gerry for over a decade, I’m honoured to join this remarkable company at such an important moment in its journey. We have an extraordinary opportunity to build a sustainable future that ensures audiences everywhere will continue to discover and enjoy Cartoon Saloon’s bold, creator-driven films and series for generations to come.”

Shirren’s twelve years at the studio spanned the studio’s most productive and recognized period. His departure leaves big shoes to fill, and the choice of Leo, a long-time collaborator who shares the studio’s instincts for independent, artist-first filmmaking, suggests the founders were not interested in importing a different culture. Whether the arrangement works as well in practice as it looks on paper will be something to watch as the studio navigates what comes next at a particularly turbulent time for the industry.