EXCLUSIVE: Azuki, a recently launched company looking to establish itself as a disruptor in anime, has hired show biz veterans Mark Goffman and Jessica Turner for roles as Consulting Executive Producer and Head of Franchise Development, respectively.
Goffman and Turner will help oversee the development of Azuki IP into a global media and entertainment franchise, working closely with the company’s Head of Content, Feb Tea.
A well-established showrunner and executive producer, Goffman will leverage his experience producing multi-season series for broadcast as he helps shepherd the development of the brand’s universe and lore. He’ll look to the Azuki World Bible in preparing to seed future content and collaborations with additional formats such as manga, webtoon, and anime.
Joining after a year and a half as Head of Marketing at Webtoon, Turner will rely on experience in developing and expanding some of the world’s most beloved franchises, as she leads the effort to turn the Azuki IP into a global franchise, expanding the stories and world across a full franchise flywheel, while helping to build a new model of IP development.
Stated Tea on Goffman’s hiring, “Mark is one of the best creative minds in Hollywood, and we are honored to have his expertise in building our Azuki IP universe into a globally iconic franchise. With Mark’s invaluable contribution, we will develop new stories originating from our original web3 IP, bridging the best of the East and West to create a global media property.”
Continued Tea, “We are equally thrilled to welcome Jessica Turner, whose impressive track record in leading media franchises like Harry Potter at Warner Bros and her experience at Webtoon, will be invaluable in positioning Azuki’s IP for global success. Jessica’s expertise in franchise development and her vision for the future of digital and traditional media will help us navigate and integrate our story universe across multiple platforms.”
Currently working as an executive producer for The Irrational on NBC, Goffman prior to that served as the exec produced and showrunner for CBS’s legal drama Bull. Also exec producing Limitless for CBS, as well as USA Network’s White Collar, his other TV credits include The Umbrella Academy, Sleepy Hollow, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
“I’m so excited to take part in the fusion of Hollywood and anime that is based on an iconic NFT collection,” Goffman said. “As global media seek fresh inspiration for untold stories and new worlds, Azuki’s IP offers a rich trove of anime-inspired characters with a passionate community. This is a prime opportunity for further development into a global media franchise with great potential.”
While at Webtoon, Turner led the marketing team and spearheaded efforts to bridge the gap between digital content and traditional media. Prior to that, she spent more than 11 years at Warner Bros, where she led brand development and marketing for Harry Potter, driving its expansion into new markets and platforms and growing it to a global lifestyle brand.
Stated Turner, “As someone who has had the privilege of shaping some of the world’s most beloved franchises, I am thrilled to join Azuki at this pivotal moment. Azuki’s vibrant universe, with deep roots in anime and culture, supported by a passionate community, presents an extraordinary opportunity to redefine how stories are told and experienced. By leveraging innovative storytelling and strategic expansion, I’m excited to position Azuki as a leading force in global entertainment.”
Founded in 2022, Azuki started as an NFT project, selling out 10,000 digital collectibles of anime characters within minutes. Since then, the company has engendered passionate fandom among over 100 subcommunities around the world. Most recently, Azuki partnered with Dentsu on “The Waiting Man,” the first part of three-part anime anthology series Enter The Garden, which was produced by anime legend Goro Taniguchi. The episode is now available exclusively on Azuki.com and Azuki’s YouTube channel, with the next two installments releasing in the coming months.
