Michael Donovan, Executive Chairman of DHX Media Ltd. – is this year's Entrepreneur Of The Year Atlantic winner.
"Michael is a shining example of visionary leadership," says Ian Cavanagh, EY's Atlantic Entrepreneur Of The Year program director. "Under Michael's direction – despite a market that told him content was dead – DHX has become Canada's leading producer and distributor of entertainment content for children and families, and one of the top companies in the sector globally."
Michael has been a pioneer and leader in Canadian film and television for more than thirty years. From founding Salter Street Films, a Halifax-based production company that produced such series as CODCO, Made in Canada and most significantly, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, to winning an Academy Award for Bowling for Columbine, Donovan has always had an eye for recognizing the next big opportunity.
"Looking to the future, Michael made a solid bet on quality children's entertainment," says Cavanagh. "He recognized that the Internet was poised to become a major new outlet for children's content. He focused relentlessly, trusted his vision and empowered the right people to build a legacy for DHX."
Today, DHX employs more than 1,300 personnel globally and holds the world's largest independent library of children's and family content. The company's distribution arm has secured hundreds of broadcast deals, exporting Canadian programming to almost every country in the world. DHX content is shown on all major broadcast outlets and streaming platforms. In 2024, the company acquired four leading Canadian television channels, including Family, the country's most-watched kids' channel, to become a fully integrated media company.
Michael will compete with top entrepreneurs from the Pacific, Prairies, Ontario and Quebec regions for the national honour of Canada's EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024, to be presented at a gala celebration on 24 November 2024 in Toronto. In June 2024, Canada's Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 will move to the world stage to compete with more than 50 country recipients for the title of EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year.