Irene Hedges

SVP, Corporate Business Development and Strategy, Warner Bros. Entertainment

Irene Hedges is a highly accomplished business executive with a proven track record of success in corporate strategy, business development, and mergers and acquisitions. With over 15 years of experience working in various leadership positions in the entertainment industry, Irene most recently served as SVP of Corporate Business Development and Strategy at Warner Bros. In this role, she executed strategic growth projects, led M&A activities, and launched new business ventures across all of Warner Bros.’ divisions, including film and television, brands and franchises, video games, themed entertainment, consumer products, and retail. During her tenure at Warner Bros., Irene led several major M&A transactions, including the acquisitions of multiple video games studios, which transformed Warner Bros. into a leading global games publisher, and strategic expansion into branded retail, which increased Warner Bros.’ geographic reach. She also incubated new businesses, negotiated investment opportunities, and oversaw a variety of business development initiatives. Irene began her career at Morgan Stanley, where she served as a Senior Analyst in the Global Wealth Management Group and an Investment Banking Analyst in the Real Estate Group. Irene is an active member of the Harvard College Fund Associates Committee and Harvard College Schools and Scholarships Committee. She also volunteers with Project Angel Food. Irene holds a BA with Honors in Economics from Harvard University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Articles by Irene Hedges

Startup Guide to AI Visibility Be the Brand ChatGPT Recommends

Startup Guide to AI Visibility: Be the Brand ChatGPT Recommends

Introduction Today, users aren’t just searching on Google. They’re asking ChatGPT, Claude, Google’s Gemini, Perplexity, and other AI systems for advice. AI visibility is the new frontier of brand awareness....

Practical Uses of AI Automation for Startup Operations

Practical Uses of AI & Automation for Startup Operations

In a recent Mucker Growth Series session, we invited Rock Vitale, Founder & CEO of Easie, to share how he’s helped early-stage teams move from manual, fragmented workflows to streamlined,...

New York Tech Week Mucker Sessions Recap

2025 New York Tech Week Recap Of Mucker Sessions

Last week during New York Tech Week 2025, we joined more than 1,000 events hosted by founders, investors, and VCs. This post is a full Mucker recap of the three...

Build a Customer Support Function for Startups Using AI Alex Velinov

How to Build a Customer Support Function for Startups Using AI Tools with Alex Velinov

Delivering high-quality customer support can be one of the most resource-draining parts of a startup. The good news: we’re at a turning point where founders can use AI tools to...

Zero → 100: The Exact Steps We Took to Close Our First 100 Paying Customers

Zero → 100: The Exact Steps We Took to Close Our First 100 Paying Customers

Going from zero customers to 100 in just four months sounds impossible—unless you’re a founder willing to roll up your sleeves and hustle relentlessly. I’m Gaurav Bhattacharya, co-founder of Jeeva.ai,...

Sales Discovery & Qualification for Startups Richard Harris

Unblocking Startup Growth: Best Practices for Sales Discovery & Qualification with Richard Harris

Startups are in a constant race against time and resources, navigating complex sales environments with lean teams and limited margins for error. In a recent session from the Mucker Growth...