About HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment, owned by private equity investment group Apax Partners, is one of the world's leading independent children's entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT's portfolio includes properties, such as Barney™, Bob the Builder™, Thomas & Friends™, Pingu™, Fireman Sam™, Angelina Ballerina™ and Rainbow Magic™. HIT represents Chapman Entertainment's Fifi and the Flowertots™ and Roary the Racing Car™ in North America and Japan, as well as Wallace & Gromit™, Shaun the Sheep™, Timmy Time™ and Aardman Classics from Aardman Animations. HIT also acts as a worldwide representative for The Jim Henson Company's library of classic family brands and as representative for The Wiggles® in the UK.
Launched in 1989, HIT's lines of business span television and video production, content distribution, publishing, consumer products licensing, live events and attractions and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. HIT is a part-owner of US preschool channel, PBS KIDS Sprout℠, and international preschool channel JimJam, (outside of the US, UK and China).
For more information, visit http://www.hitentertainment.com.
Jamie Cygielman
Senior Vice President & General Manager, Consumer Products,
HIT Entertainment North America
Jamie Cygielman, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Consumer Products, HIT Entertainment, is an executive with more than 19 years of marketing and brand management experience. In her current role, Ms. Cygielman is responsible for Brand Licensing, Marketing, Communications, Retail Development, Creative Resources and Promotional Partnerships for HIT's portfolio of classic preschool brands, including Bob the Builder™, Barney™, Angelina Ballerina™, Thomas & Friends™ and more.
Under Ms. Cygielman's leadership, HIT has increased retail sales, including four years of double digit growth for Thomas & Friends, the #1 preschool toy brand (NPD 2007 - March 2008). She has spearheaded third party licensing and agent deals for award-winning properties from renowned UK studios, Chapman Entertainment and Aardman Animations. Additionally, Ms. Cygielman has managed a variety of exclusive licensing programs across both hard and soft lines categories, most recently introducing Thomas & Friends: A Stitch In Time, an infant layette line, at Target. In her tenure at HIT, Ms. Cygielman has directed successful re-launch programs, across television, licensing, advertising, publicity and retail initiatives.
Prior to joining HIT Entertainment, Ms. Cygielman worked at Mattel as Vice President Worldwide Marketing for the venerable Barbie® brand. While at Mattel, Ms. Cygielman launched the Barbie Entertainment business, including direct-to-video movies and fully integrated toy lines. In 2001, Ms. Cygielman spearheaded the brand's first global integrated marketing program, launching Barbie and the Nutcracker video and toys into 45 countries. The video went on to win the Children's Video of the Year award. Subsequent movie titles, Barbie as Rapunzel and Barbie of Swan Lake, expanded into close to 60 countries, with the toy lines becoming worldwide successes.
Previously, Ms. Cygielman held leadership positions at Revlon where she managed marketing for the color cosmetics business. As Vice President of Marketing she developed annual lines and breakthrough consumer advertising, which resulted in cosmetic market leadership.
Ms. Cygielman received her MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business and her BA with honors from the University of Michigan. She is currently a member of the LIMA Charity Committee.
