DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Consumer Products President Diane Nelson will not be returning from the leave of absence she began in March, the company told employees today according to Hollywood Reporter.  Nelson’s leave was to deal with family and medical issues, the company said at the time (see “DC, Warner Bros. Consumer Products Honcho Taking Leave of Absence”), but Nelson indicated that she was moving into a new phase of her career, saying “I am excited to take on my next professional adventure.”

Nelson was a 20-year Warner Bros. veteran, with increasing responsibilities throughout her tenure.  Her time at DC was marked by a high level of success in television, and more generally in video content; a mixed record in films, with improving results recently; and a recent hot streak in publishing.  She moved the company to Burbank to put it closer to its show business parent, ending an 80-year run in New York.  Perhaps the low point on the publishing front was the dismantling of the company’s Vertigo imprint, which had been the engine of graphic novel sales for the company.  And perhaps her best legacy will be making the DC brand more welcoming to female consumers, with Super Hero Girls a great outreach to young girls and Wonder Woman an iconic movie for all ages. 

“I am proud to leave DC even stronger than when I joined it,” Nelson said in a statement.  I will miss everyone – particularly my executive management team – without whom none of our achievements could have been realized.” 

The management structure established during Nelson’s leave will remain in place for now. The DC executive management team, Dan Didio, Jim Lee, Geoff Johns, and Amit Desai, will report to Warner Bros. Entertainment Chief Digital Officer and EVP, Strategy and Business Development Thomas Gewecke; WB Consumer Products’ Pam Lifford will report to Warner Bros. Entertainment CEO Kevin Tsujihara directly.