Xilam promotes Caterina Gonnelli-Linden to co-CEO in top reshuffle
French animation studio Xilam has put Caterina Gonnelli-Linden in the joint top job. She becomes Co-Chief Executive Officer, meaning she shares the leadership with founder and incumbent CEO Marc du Pontavice. The move was reported by Deadline on 6 October 2026 as part of a wider senior reshuffle.
Du Pontavice keeps his title and shifts his attention. He will focus on strategy and diversification, including building up feature film production. Gonnelli-Linden takes day-to-day charge of children's programmes for television and digital platforms.
Adult series sit across both desks. Gonnelli-Linden shares editorial responsibility for series aimed at adults with du Pontavice. She also becomes a Corporate Officer alongside him, meaning she is formally registered as a company leader, although she will report to du Pontavice.
Her brief is broad. She oversees four departments: content, operations, distribution and human resources. Two new deputies will answer to her.
Camille Wiplier and Safaa Benazzouz step up to Deputy Chief Executive Officers, the rank just below co-CEO. Wiplier will run Operations together with IT and Technical Services, a department she has managed since January 2026. Benazzouz will lead content distribution and marketing strategy.
Promoted from within. Gonnelli-Linden had been at Xilam for close to seven years before the appointment. She previously worked at The Walt Disney Company and Moonscoop.
Her rise has been step by step. She joined Xilam in January 2020 as executive vice-president for content, working alongside fellow content chief Jean Brune on editorial, according to Skwigly. In February 2023 she was put in charge of a newly created content division as chief content officer, as reported by C21Media, and Xilam's own team page later listed her as Chief Creative Officer.
For the crews making the shows, the structure names who to call. Du Pontavice sets direction and films. Gonnelli-Linden runs kids' production and shares adult editorial. Wiplier and Benazzouz cover operations, technology, sales and marketing underneath her.
