Currently, Ann is an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School (HBS), focused on designing experimental and interactive learning programs to better prepare leaders for the complexity and speed of the digital era and to instill the right mindsets and behaviors to thrive in the current business world.
In this role, Ann brings three decades of senior leadership experience focused on creative talent and designing the most effective, innovative environments for them. As a business and talent leader in multinational environments, she lived and held executive positions on two continents. During her career, she has built a reputation for innovative strategic thinking, transformational leadership and excellence in talent management. Her contributions include Studio Leadership, Strategic Planning, Digital Transformation, Production and Talent Leadership.
Prior to joining HBS, Ann served as the Senior Vice President of Production, Talent and Studio Planning at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Los Angeles (California), reporting directly to the president, Ed Catmull. In this highly creative environment, she designed organizational structures, compensation strategies and initiatives that helped drive the people strategy, while supporting continued business growth and innovation. She has been central to the studio’s digital transformation and during her tenure, the studio reclaimed its dominance in the animation entertainment business and released a string of critically and financially acclaimed successes, including Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Frozen and Frozen2.
In 2018, Ann became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and she served for several years on the Advisory Board of Women in Animation, a non-profit organization striving to improve the representation and career opportunities for women in the animation industry.
Ann holds a Masters Degree in Law from the University of Antwerp in Belgium. Originally a Belgian native, Ann is versatile in both European and American cultures and fluently masters Dutch, French and English. Today, she resides in Los Angeles and has become a US citizen.
