Leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studio DNEG announced Josh Jaggars as its new group president, VFX and stereo. Based out of DNEG’s Los Angeles studio, Jaggars will lead the global VFX and stereo conversion teams for the DNEG Group, comprising DNEG and its ReDefine division.
He will report directly to DNEG Chairman and CEO Namit Malhotra. Jaggars brings more than 25 years of industry experience and expertise to the role.
As part of DNEG’s senior executive team, he will oversee the company’s client relationships and its industry-leading team of VFX and stereo supervisors. The doyen would be leveraging the company’s production and creative strengths to drive new business and further inspire dynamic new VFX approaches that elevate DNEG in the competitive marketplace.
“I am delighted to welcome Josh to our senior leadership team; his appointment is further evidence of the culture of excellence that we are building here at DNEG. I have had the pleasure of working with Josh for many years, including most recently on Dune, for which DNEG was the lead VFX partner. By bringing his experience and expertise to the leadership of DNEG’s world-class VFX and stereo teams, Josh will further enhance our ability to bring together innovative technology and industry-leading creative talent to create award-winning work,” said DNEG chairman and CEO.
“Furthermore, as we expand our horizons beyond VFX and animation to become a content creation partner to the industry, I am excited that Josh will be onboard to lead our creative engagement and provide new production solutions,” continued Malhotra. “His experience will be invaluable as DNEG continues to establish itself as a collaborator and co-producer with our partners,” Malhotra added.
Talking about the new role Jaggars said, “After many years as a freelance producer, and more recently as a studio executive, I am thrilled to be returning to my roots to take on this new challenge with Namit and the DNEG team. This is an incredibly exciting time for our industry with many new opportunities for ambitious and visionary companies such as DNEG, which is forging a path that elevates it beyond the traditional facility/vendor relationship.”
“DNEG presents an opportunity for me to remain at the forefront of VFX, technology, and creative endeavors, where I can help to build an amazing portfolio across multiple platforms. Namit’s vision, and the expansion of DNEG’s global footprint, exemplify how this company is transforming beyond a pure-play VFX offering to become a ‘next-level’ partner with content producers. DNEG has an incredible foundation with award-winning artists and visionaries. I look forward to expanding, innovating and furthering DNEG’s creative culture and commitment to our industry’s future,” Jaggars added.
The addition of Jaggars also bolsters DNEG’s leadership position as a modern-day content production powerhouse that is capitalizing on the surge in demand for high-quality VFX and content creation across streaming, feature film, and gaming content. As part of his remit, he will partner with filmmakers and content creators worldwide, forming and managing content creation partnerships and co-productions.
Jaggars joins DNEG from Legendary Entertainment, where he served as senior VP, visual effects and stereo production since 2017. In this role, Jaggars’ credits include Dune, Godzilla vs. Kong, Enola Holmes, Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Pokémon Detective Pikachu. Prior to that, Jaggars was VFX producer at Warner Bros. with acclaimed work on Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League and Man of Steel. Additional VFX producer credits include Hancock, 2012 and Fast Five.