Animation and VFX studio Axis bolsters senior team

Axis Studios has recruited David Spilsbury (pictured above left), Emma Bibby (pictured above middle), and Nicole Duncan (pictured above right) to bolster its management and business services as it looks to expand its feature film, television and video games work.

Spilsbury was formerly CTO Technology Infrastructure at Technicolor Creative Studios, where he served as CTO for The Mill and MPC Advertising. He joins Axis Studios in the newly created role of chief technology officer.

Spilsbury will work closely with CEO Richard Scott and be responsible for Axis’ technology strategy across infrastructure, systems, pipeline, and R&D, driving the evolution of the Axis remote and hybrid working environment.

He said: “Joining Axis as CTO is an exciting opportunity to apply my knowledge of technology and transformation experience and return to being closer to creative projects. Axis has a tremendous creative atmosphere with a team spirit willing to push the boundaries. I look forward to helping the team harness the power of new technology and software.”

Bibby joins as chief people and culture officer. She was previously HR and culture director at creative agency FCB Inferno. She will oversee the people strategy at Axis Studios, including all cultural aspects of the company.

Bibby said: “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining Axis as its new chief people and culture officer. Axis truly believes that the Studios’ best asset is its people, and the leadership team genuinely cares about the individuals who work for them. I’m very privileged to elevate and champion our people, create an environment where they can do their very best work for our clients, while prioritising its already strong and inclusive culture. This is an exciting time as the company continues into its next growth phase, and I am looking forward to being part of the journey with such a talented and creative group of people.”

Meanwhile, Duncan joins Axis Studios as an executive producer for short-form productions, including video game trailers, location-based entertainment, and one-off episodic specials. She was formerly an executive producer at The Mill.

Duncan says: “You feel so surrounded by creativity working at Axis, the teams are so passionate about the creative and the commitment to the craft and the execution of the final project speaks for itself in their body of work. It’s a heritage I’m so proud to now be a part of and looking forward to seeing what I can bring to the table moving forward!”

Axis Studios CEO Richard Scott added: “I’m incredibly excited to welcome Emma, Nicole, and David to Axis Studios as part of our continued evolution. 2022 saw us delivering award-winning work for our video game clients, launching our first animated feature film, and completing our first creature-focused VFX film. Nicole, Emma, and David will be critical to further development, innovation, and investment in our people, technology, and clients.”