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.
Rob Weisstuch Joins HIT Entertainment As Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer
10/04/2006New York, NY
HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality preschool entertainment, today announced the appointment of industry veteran Rob Weisstuch as Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer. In this newly created role, Rob oversees all global Information Technology functions. He will lead the strategic development of HIT Entertainment's new technology-enabled business models to enhance and develop customer interaction. He is also responsible for the design and delivery of HIT's information technology infrastructure and applications. He is based in HIT's New York office and reports to Patricia Wyatt, President, North America.
Rob joins HIT with more than 20 years of IT and Operations experience. Most recently, he was Chief Operating Officer/Chief Information Officer of Riot Media, Inc. While there, he oversaw all aspects of the development of the Company's Webby Award-nominated website and was responsible for establishing and managing all operational processes.
Prior to that role, Rob spent 18 years at Accenture, a global management consulting and technology service firm, where he most recently served as a Partner in its Media and Entertainment Practice area. He also served as General Manager of the Unisys Americas and Asia/Pacific Media Practice.
"Rob comes to HIT with a wealth of impressive experience and accomplishments in the information systems and technology field," said Wyatt. "He will play an integral role in upgrading and streamlining our digital asset management products and processes, web-based initiatives and other IT functions for our portfolio of premier brands, including Bob the Builder™, Barney™, Thomas & Friends and Angelina Ballerina™, among others."
About HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment, owned by private equity investment group Apax Partners since June 2005, is one of the world’s leading independent children’s entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT’s portfolio includes internationally renowned children’s properties, such as Bob the Builder™, Barney™, Thomas & Friends™, Pingu™, Rubbadubbers™ and Angelina Ballerina™. HIT acts as a representative for The Wiggles® in the UK, US and Canada and as worldwide representative for The Jim Henson Company’s library of classic family brands, including Fraggle Rock™. HIT also owns the Guinness World Records™ publishing and television property and Fireman Sam™, a joint venture with S4C. Launched in 1989, HIT’s lines of business span television and video production (including studios in the US and the UK), publishing, consumer products licensing and live events. With a catalog of more than 1,000 hours of young children’s programming, HIT sells its shows to more than 240 countries worldwide, in more than 40 different languages and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. In 2005, the Company joined Comcast Corporation, PBS and Sesame Workshop to launch PBS KIDS Sprout℠, a 24-hour digital cable channel and VOD service for preschoolers. For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.
