Spotlight ON – Kris Maric

WORDS: Caroline Russo hushhushbiz.com PHOTOGRAPHY Supplied www.krismaric.com - www.magicforestgroup.org

A Visionary Leader Blending Creativity, Strategy, And Wellbeing Across Entertainment, Education, and Technology

Kris Maric is a dynamic leader, strategist, advisor and creative powerhouse whose work spans entertainment, education, and technology across APAC, the UK and the USA. With more than two decades of experience, she’s known for driving innovation, transformation, and well-being—helping people, organisations, and communities evolve, create, and thrive in today’s digital and creative landscape.

Her key passions right now are being the guardian of the Humphrey B. Bear brand — a role she finds endlessly creative and joyful, and teaching and consulting in change management, where she works with individuals, businesses, and corporations to help them do great and feel good in what they do — personally and professionally.

Let’s start at the beginning — how did your journey in entertainment and the creative industries begin?
I always joke that I’m “very Aussie, but also very Slavic bananas.” I was born in Croatia, arrived in Australia when I was around two, and grew up in a household where the arts, entrepreneurship, kooky jokes, lots of debates, and lots of love were the daily rhythm. My parents were artists/entrepreneurs who built an Australiana gifts business from absolutely nothing to having their art in thousands of stores across the country thanks to their ingenuity in figuring out how to scale their production line through innovative machines and processes my dad invented and then built – plus selling what they made like they had nothing to lose and everything to gain. So I grew up watching creativity turn into commerce — and doing the practical and innovative work behind it. By 15, I was helping with all types of things: packing orders, doing accounting and admin, and selling at trade fairs. It was the perfect training ground for entertainment because it taught me that creative industries are equal parts imagination, smart operations, and the ability to connect with your customer/audience. That foundation set me up to work in film, TV, theatre, music and live events — though not in a typical way. I initially pursued training as a performer while completing my uni degrees (I have a Bachelor’s in Criminology, a Bachelor’s in International Business, and an eventually got a Master’s in Production Accounting). After doing performance training and some performances, I realised there was a whole world of entertainment opportunities beyond performing and that I was really a creator and a leader at heart. My true desire was to be a creative producer and writer, so I sought out every opportunity to train my way into that. Along the pathway, I was given opportunities in production accounting and as a finance manager — leveraging certain super power skills I had in admin and accounting — which helped me understand how to create my own content. Taking the accounting path opened up a world where I got to travel a lot in my 20s doing cool accounting jobs in film, TV, music, theatre, and other live events, and eventually moved fully into producing in my 30s.

What inspired you to step into this world — and who or what influenced you early on?
I was clearly very inspired by my parents — artists who wanted to live their dream of becoming artist-entrepreneurs. They left a country that wasn’t really a place to dream of being an artist or entrepreneur and came to what they saw was a land of opportunity with not much and no English or money and just me! They dared to dream, had nothing to lose, and everything to gain. It wasn’t easy — they had trades, but to create their own business out of very little money with two little kids to feed was remarkable. They are my heroes. And my brother is also artistically talented and inspiring too. So overall my family has always been my inspiration. Growing up it was really just my dad, mum and brother, so entertainment became my window into a bigger world. Entertainment is also how I learned English with my mum — watching daytime soaps like Days of Our Lives and General Hospital (probably not the best way to learn, ha). I loved how films, TV, books, and music made you feel something — how they could give you perspective, comfort, escape, or even a sense of belonging you didn’t know you needed. I realised very early that storytelling could help people understand themselves or their world differently. That’s what hooked me. I’ve always been the person who wants to help others, inspire them, lift them up, and also find ways to process my own feelings and understandings… and creativity felt like the perfect medium for that. Entertainment isn’t just content — it’s connection and discovery. And that’s what pulled me in and never let go. When I entered entertainment and started working across major productions in Australia and the UK, I realised what really lit me up was the mix of creativity, systems, and people. I’ve always been wired that way — part creative, part analytical, and part creating the kumbaya. That mix has guided everything I’ve done since.

You’ve worked across entertainment, education, and technology. What were the big turning points in that journey?
There were a few moments where everything pivoted. One was realising that there was an industry of opportunity and creativity beyond just being a performer. Then stepping out of finance roles and finally embracing producing full-time. Suddenly, I was bringing together the creative and the commercial in a way that felt natural. Another was discovering how much I loved change management, which I started doing alongside producing creative projects and still enjoy now. I found myself working with universities, corporations, and creative organisations on transformation, AI adoption, behavioural economics, process and systems redesign — helping people, from leaders to those on the floor, navigate and embrace changes of all kinds in work life, business life, the corporate world.. and even in their personal lives. I felt really at home and felt like I was able to help people — hold space for them and help them tackle things that annoyed them or that they just wanted to solve with the right kind of help. And then there was my time where I took up the role of a Founding CEO of a virtual production studio in order to further Humphrey’s journey. Under my leadership, we scaled fast, won international work, and delivered projects for global brands — all during a pandemic. It showed me how powerful and persuasive technology can be when paired with creativity and great change-management inspired sell-through.

That period also taught me that you must really flex your boundaries when things or people get nasty/kooky — and know when you need to leave a situation. It was a time of great accolades, paired with great professional heartache. I had to learn the hard way to prioritise my own health, dreams and goals first before others – and work with only those who are clearly aligned with your values and integrity. Integrity and ethics are a big deal for me… and also feeling safe – not just for me but for all around me. Often I feel we are trained to believe that we need to compromise our values, feelings and/or integrity to make something of ourselves in this world – but we don’t and I had to learn the hard way how to untangle that from my subconscious. Which is hilarious, given that for years I’ve supported people to choose better for themselves personally and professionally. But hey, you live and learn… and then share and teach off the back of it! And of course, one of the loveliest opportunities that came into my life was being able to be a key guardian of a very special magical bear — the one and only Humphrey B. Bear. Love him and the family of people we have around him.

Since you’ve taken ownership of Humphrey B. Bear, how did that unfold?
It was one of those moments where everything suddenly makes sense. My producing and business partner, Craig Kocinski, and I had worked together for two decades in the trenches of production. We loved entertainment, but the feast-or-famine nature of long-form producing didn’t always make sense commercially. When the opportunity to buy Humphrey came up, we instinctively knew this was the future: a direct-to-consumer model, a brand with soul, and daily revenue rather than project-based volatility. Humphrey also came with a treasure trove of legacy content — over 1,500 episodes and 1,800 songs — plus an emotional connection spanning three generations that was able to connect with kids, parents, communities, and those with special and vulnerable needs. We didn’t just buy a character; we took on the care of a cultural icon. And we saw a chance to build a whole new universe around him, from the Magic Forest to new characters and new stories where we could fulfil our desires to make entertainment and content that made people feel good but could also do great things for people.

The Magic Forest Group charity has become a huge part of your work. Why is that social-impact element so important to you?
Because Humphrey has always been more than entertainment. He represents kindness, imagination, inclusion, and joy — values that matter deeply to me and our family of people we work with. With the Magic Forest Group, we get to take those values into communities that really benefit from them. Whether it’s a live show at a hospital, a wellbeing initiative for kids, or a community event, the goal is always connection. I genuinely believe creativity can heal and help people feel seen. Humphrey just happens to be an excellent ambassador for that, and we are really excited to work with people like John Lazarou, philanthropist and Co-Owner of The Coffee Club, as our Corporate Ambassador.

You’re known for blending creativity, technology, and wellbeing. How does that influence what you’re building now?
My career has always sat at that crossroads. I love technology because it allows creativity to scale. I love creativity because it brings joy and emotional connection for me and for others. And I love wellbeing and learning because I’ve seen firsthand how much people flourish when they are supported to grow and feel safe – including me. With Humphrey and OZPIX, we’ve built a modern production-to-commercialisation pipeline called GOMESH. It lets us create and release content faster and smarter while keeping everything deeply human. We’re building an ecosystem — content, live shows, music, books, apps, education programs — and weaving entertainment, wellbeing, and learning into all of it. It’s not just about entertainment; it’s something kids, families, teachers/carers and communities can feel good about.

How do you see children’s entertainment evolving, and what role can Australia play on the global stage?
Kids today are savvy. They want stories with heart, humour, and connection. They want to feel something — not just be distracted. We’re seeing that kids want a blend of joy, learning, creativity, and wellbeing. And Australians? We punch way above our weight. We’re incredibly inventive — true MacGyvers of making anything — but often shy about selling ourselves and our content. Our creativity is world-class, and when we back ourselves, we make a global impact. I see an enormous opportunity for Australian IP in the next decade thanks the growing creator economy.

You were named the 2024 Gold Coast Screen Practitioner of the Year. How do you personally balance innovation, leadership, and your own wellbeing?
Some days with grace, some days with caffeine. But I’ve learned that creativity collapses under burnout, so I work very intentionally now. Systems help. Automation helps. Great teams help. And time in nature resets me in ways nothing else does. Plus also remembering that we work in creative industries usually because we are creative peoples – so enjoying opportunities to do my own creative expression on a regular basis is also important to me. I’ve had to learn how to prioritise my health and wellbeing first before anything and love to advocate/support others to do the same. I also try not to take myself too seriously. It’s hard to have an inflated ego when you spend your days working with a big magical bear.

What’s next for Humphrey B. Bear Entertainment?
We’ve had an incredible run since Humphrey’s digital soft relaunch last year — daily revenue growth, expanding audiences, and even an acquisition offer that was ten times our purchase price. What’s next is scale. More live shows. More educational incursions. A much bigger footprint for the Magic Forest Group. New digital content, music, books, and immersive experiences. International partnerships. And eventually, new original IP built from the same GOMESH engine that powers Humphrey. We’re building a modern creative house — playful, scalable, and deeply values-driven.

Finally, what’s your best advice for upcoming creatives?
Make things and learn to sell yourself. Fail fast to get to where you want to go. Don’t wait for permission, for the perfect idea, or for someone “important” to tap you on the shoulder. Just start. And remember that creativity and commerce are partners, not enemies. Half of this industry is the art you make, and the other half is your willingness to share and sell it boldly with the world. Most of all, lean into finding and expressing your voice. Your story, your quirks, your culture, your perspective — that’s the spark no one else has.

click here: www.krismaric.com