DreamWorks Animation has named Bill Ballew Chief Technical Officer. The appointment, effective immediately, was announced by Randy Lake, Chief Operating Officer for DreamWorks. Ballew assumes the role previously held by Jeff Wike who is retiring.

In this role, Ballew will be responsible for the strategic vision, creation, operations and maintenance of the studio’s 3D computer-generated animated production platform. He will oversee all aspects of technology needs for film and TV production, including software development, technical operations and the provisioning of technology resources required for digital content production at the studio. Ballew will report to Lake who is responsible for strategic planning and primary business operations, including feature and television production, post production, business and legal affairs, finance and technology.

”Bill has an impressive track record of leading innovation and successfully collaborating with DreamWorks Animation’s production and operational teams,” said Lake. “We are thrilled to have him at the helm of our industry-leading organization where technology helps us fuel our creative ambitions.”

Ballew takes on expanded duties in both features and television at an exciting time for DreamWorks Animation. Following the recent releases of Spirit Untamed and The Boss Baby: Family Business, the studio’s upcoming feature slate includes The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, both set to release in 2022. The prolific television division is in production on 19 original animated series including the newest preschool hit Gabby’s Dollhouse, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous and Guillermo del Toro’s Tales of Arcadia trilogy which have contributed to a combined 27 Emmy Award wins and stream on various platforms including Netflix, Peacock, hulu and AppleTV+.

Joining DreamWorks during its inception, Ballew is a 25 year veteran who has worked in a variety of roles and managed numerous projects that have contributed to the creative ambition and scale of the studio. Ballew most recently served as the VP of Research and Development, overseeing a number of key technology initiatives for DreamWorks. His expertise in computer science coupled with a passion for animation has allowed him to inspire and provide artists with the tools to tell their stories through state-of-the-art computer graphics imagery.

“I am thrilled to be taking on this role of CTO in a studio that has been my home for the last 25 years,” said Ballew. “I have seen a lot of change over the years, but one constant is our talented and innovative technology team that is turbo charged by our strategic partners. It’s an honor to assume the role from Jeff Wike who has been an incredible mentor; we all wish Jeff the best in his retirement. I am looking forward to working with Margie, Randy and the entire DreamWorks executive team to write the next chapter of Technology for the studio.”

Prior to joining DreamWorks Animation, Ballew worked in the Aerospace industry in Southern California for 5 years. He has a degree in Computer Science from California State University Long Beach.