HIT Entertainment Digital Newsroom

HIT Entertainment Names Sangeeta Desai Chief Operating Officer

London and New York

Jeff Dunn, CEO of HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality children's entertainment, has today announced the addition of Sangeeta Desai to HIT's Senior Management team as Chief Operating Officer. Ms. Desai will be based in London and will report directly to Jeff Dunn.

In this newly created position, Ms. Desai will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company, and will oversee the Business Development, Global Brand Management, Consumer Products, Live Events, Marketing, Communications and Creative Resources teams around the world.

Previously, Ms. Desai was a Principal at Apax Partners, a private equity firm and owner of HIT Entertainment. In this role she had responsibility for sourcing, evaluating and executing on investments in the media sector globally, with a particular focus on the entertainment and TV production sub-sectors. She worked closely with management teams of companies in the Apax media portfolio to enhance value through strategic, operational and financial initiatives.

Since Jeff Dunn's appointment as CEO in March 2008, Ms. Desai has been working closely with HIT Entertainment, acting as an advisor and helping to develop the company's strategic plans.

"Sangeeta is one of the brightest people I have ever worked with," said Dunn. "She has a keen understanding of the HIT business and I am delighted that she has chosen to join us full time. As the children's entertainment business shifts and changes, it is clear that Sangeeta will be a formidable asset to our company, enhancing our day to day operations and profitability and strategically positioning us for growth in the years ahead."

"I am thrilled by this opportunity to work with some of the most-loved brands in the world, alongside some of the smartest people in the business," said Ms. Desai. "Fortunately, my new role enables me to continue to work closely with my former colleagues at Apax. However, it also provides me with the scope to manage all the operations of a highly successful, global business".

Prior to joining Apax Partners, Ms. Desai was in the UK Advisory group of Goldman Sachs where she advised clients on M&A and corporate finance. Her earlier experience was with JPMorgan where she worked in investment banking and equity research.

Sangeeta Desai graduated with distinction from the University of California, Berkeley with a BS in Business Administration. She holds an MBA with Honours from the Wharton School of Business.

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™ 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 and live events and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. HIT is a part-owner of US-based preschool channel, PBS KIDS Sprout℠, and international preschool channel JimJam, (outside of the US, UK and China). For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.

To download artwork, please visit www.hitnewsonline.com.