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.
Peter Byrne
Executive Vice President, Worldwide Consumer Products, HIT Entertainment
Peter Byrne, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Consumer Products has more than 20 years experience in both Licensing and Consumer Products. In his new role, he will be responsible for the Company's worldwide licensing, promotions, brand and retail marketing, and creative services for HIT's classic portfolio of preschool brands, including Bob the Builder™, Barney™, Thomas & Friends and Angelina Ballerina™. In addition, he is responsible for the Company's Live Events strategy and its theme park ventures.
Prior to joining HIT, he spent four years as Executive Vice President of 20th Century Fox's Global Licensing and Merchandising division, overseeing both the Television and Film roster for Consumer Products. During his tenure in the US he oversaw the company's largest theatrical merchandise campaign in support of the animated feature Robots and the US re-launch of the animated series, The Simpsons.
Mr. Byrne originally joined Fox in 1997 as Managing Director, Europe, launching the company's European licensing operations and then expanding its reach to include all other international territories. After having successfully built an international licensing program for The Simpsons, highlighted with a LIMA award for International License of the Year in 2000, Byrne moved to Los Angeles to head up the company's Worldwide Licensing and Merchandising operations.
Previously, he worked for Sara Lee Corporation as Vice President, Northern Europe. He also served as Managing Director, Germany for Fruit of the Loom and as Marketing Director, Europe, Fruit of the Loom.
Byrne also held a number of senior sales and marketing positions in the toy industry with both Kenner and Matchbox.
