Taichi Fukuda Named General Manager Of Warner Home Video And Warner Bros. Digital Distribution In Japan

(October 19, 2009 – Burbank, CA) – Highly respected international entertainment executive Taichi Fukuda has joined Warner Entertainment Japan Inc. as General Manager, Warner Home Video (WHV) and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD), Japan, it was announced today by William Ireton, President & Representative Director, Warner Entertainment Japan Inc. and Marc Gareton, Executive Vice President, WHV and WBDD, Asia and Pacific. In this newly created position, Fukuda will manage both Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group's home video and digital distribution businesses in Japan, including sales, marketing, finance and operations. Fukuda will work closely with local management teams to achieve the studio’s strategic business objectives in Japan, such as managing the transition to high definition packaged media and driving the growth of digital. He will report to both Ireton and Gareton. Yoshikiyo Arai, who has been General Manager for Warner Home Video in Japan for nearly three years, will serve as advisor until his planned retirement in December. “Japan has the world's second-largest economy and is a technology leader,” said Ireton. “By unifying the home video and digital distribution businesses in Japan under Taichi, Warner Bros. will be well positioned to take full advantage of the cross-divisional opportunities that exist in this very important market.” Before joining Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Fukuda worked for General Electric Company in Japan and most recently served as Managing Director, Japan Representative, NBC Universal International since January 2007, where he was responsible for leading strategic business growth opportunities for NBC Universal in Japan and maximizing synergies across its various divisions. He also served as Acting Managing Director and Chairman for Geneon Universal Entertainment, focusing on leading the growth of their home entertainment business, and Representative Director for NBC Universal Global Networks Japan. Prior to that, Fukuda was Business Development Director for General Electric Japan, where he led mergers & acquisitions and alliance strategy development & execution in support of GE business growth in Japan, encompassing NBC Universal and GE Industrial businesses. “Taichi has an incredible knowledge of the home entertainment market, both in Japan and the U.S., and we are delighted to welcome him to Warner Bros.,” said Gareton. “His deal making experience and his strategic insight into the digital space will be extremely valuable to us as we expand our home entertainment business in Japan.” Prior to GE, Fukuda held a number of senior positions in business development and strategic planning roles within Dentsu Inc in Japan. He also served as Executive Director of Dentsu Dot Com, its venture capital firm. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Waseda University. About Warner Home Video With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment. About Warner Bros. Digital Distribution Warner Bros. Digital Distribution manages Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group’s electronic distribution over existing, new and emerging digital platforms, including pay-per-view, electronic sell-through, video-on-demand, wireless and more. WBDD also oversees the WBHEG’s worldwide digital strategy, partnerships in digital services and emerging new clients and business activities in the digital space. # # #