TeamTO has appointed Marco Balsamo as president and CEO following its acquisition by RIVA Studios Productions in December 2024.
February 18, 2025 By Kristin Brzoznowski
The Italian-American filmmaker and entrepreneur will now oversee TeamTO’s operations, balancing executive and creative responsibilities while positioning the studio for growth in a rapidly evolving animation industry. Balsamo co-founded RIVA Studios with Tara Sibel Demren.
Last year, the Italian production company partnered with Jay Oliva of Lex & Otis and investor Peter Bekkerman to form a new ownership group with the sole purpose of securing the studio’s long-term future.
The acquisition coincides with TeamTO’s 20th anniversary.
RIVA Studios retained 90 percent of the studio’s employees. The new management structure includes long-term TeamTO executives Clélia Santi (head of studios, Paris, now located at 20 Rue de la Pierre Levée); Carole Toledo (head of studios, Valence); Jean-Baptiste Spieser (chief technology officer); Olivier Plazas (art director); and Fanny Weber (executive producer).
Other key roles include Sibel Demren and Oliva as executive producers and Marco Balsamo as producer.
Balsamo commented, “This studio has built a remarkable legacy, and we’re committed to ensuring its long-term success. We also want to expand our reach to international partners, strengthen our presence in the global animation industry and establish TeamTO as a leader in both original content and premium production services.”
“The way this deal came together—so serendipitously, so quickly—still feels surreal,” said Balsamo. “In an industry where animation studios are struggling, talented animators are being laid off and decades of work are at risk of vanishing, we couldn’t let a studio with TeamTO’s pedigree be lost. We’ve always championed the independent spirit of filmmaking, and TeamTO embodies that same spirit. I couldn’t ask for a better team with whom to embark on this adventure.”