NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: MVL), a global character-based entertainment and licensing company, announced today the formation of an International Advisory Board comprised of business leaders from key international growth markets. The new Advisory Board will work with Marvel executives to explore opportunities for expanding the penetration of the Marvel and key character brands in international markets. The Advisory Board is chaired by James F. Halpin, a Marvel director since March 1995. Simon Philips, President, Worldwide Consumer Products will serve as the primary company liaison to the Advisory Board.
In addition to Mr. Halpin, the Advisory Board is currently comprised of Peter Yip, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the CDC Corporation (NASDAQ: CHINA), and Bollywood film producer, Manmohan Shetty, former chairman of Adlabs Films Limited. Messrs. Yip and Shetty represent China and India, respectively on the Board. Marvel is in the process of filling two additional Advisory Board positions.
Simon Philips, commented, “The formation of Marvel’s International Advisory Board furthers our commitment to generate growth from international markets. We are honored to launch the Advisory Board with executives of the stature and achievement of Peter and Manmohan, who share our passion for Marvel and our character brands. The success of our feature films and other entertainment media in many international markets over the past several years has created increasing consumer awareness of, and appreciation for, our iconic brands. The formation of this Advisory Board will help us to leverage this growing recognition into an expanding base of business opportunities on a global basis.
“Peter and Manmohan are highly respected business leaders in their respective fields and possess a deep knowledge of consumer preferences in the regions in which they operate. We believe this new Advisory Board will strengthen our international business focus and enable us to further maximize the potential of the Marvel brand on a global level.”
Peter Yip is the chief executive officer of the CDC Corporation and vice chairman of its board of directors. In addition, Mr. Yip serves as executive chairman to the board of directors of CDC Software. Mr. Yip founded CDC Corporation and under his leadership, the Company was one of the first successful initial public offerings of an Internet company from Greater China to be listed on NASDAQ. Mr. Yip is also executive director of the Company's Hong Kong listed subsidiary China.com Inc. and has served as vice-chairman of the China.com Inc. board since 1999. Mr. Yip is chairman of China Pacific Capital and has over two decades of entrepreneurial and direct investment experience in the U.S. and the Asia Pacific region where he has co-founded or provided seed funding to a number of successful start-up entities.
Manmohan Shetty is the founder, chairman and managing director of Adlabs Films Limited, a renowned film processing and printing, exhibition, digital projection, film financing and production company for the Bollywood film industry. Mr. Shetty sold Adlabs to the Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group in December 2007. Currently, Mr. Shetty is focused on his new media company Walkwater Media Limited to produce film and television content. He is also the Director of NDTV Lumiere, who premieres best of World Cinema in Indian theatres and their channel. At present he is the President of the Film and Television Guild of India.
James Halpin has more than three decades of international business experience. Mr. Halpin retired in 2000 as President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of CompUSA Inc., a retailer of computer hardware, software, accessories and related products, with which he had been employed since May 1993. In 1998, Mr. Halpin was named one of the Top 25 Managers in the World by Business Week. After retiring from CompUSA, Mr. Halpin founded Riverbend, Inc., a private investment firm specializing in private equity and venture capital. Mr. Halpin is also an active member of Access, which provides last second college scholarships to inner city kids.
The Advisory Board plans to convene in person twice a year for full meetings in addition to regular in-market meetings.
About Marvel Entertainment:
Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics). Marvel's strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online. For more information visit www.marvel.com.
Except for any historical information that they contain, the statements in this news release regarding Marvel’s plans are forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including exposure to the current economic recession, exposure to tightening credit markets, financial difficulties of Marvel’s licensees, a decrease in the level of media exposure or popularity of Marvel’s characters, changing consumer preferences, delays and cancellations of movies and television productions based on Marvel characters, and concentration of Marvel’s toy licensing with one licensee. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in Marvel’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Marvel’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Marvel assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.
