Reporting to China’s Board of Directors and its chairman, Imax CEO Richard Gelfond, Chen will direct the Company’s expansion in the greater China region, and develop and execute strategies that will enable Imax to extend its leadership position and involvement in the development of China’s entertainment industry.
Imax China’s leadership team will report to Chen. Imax veteran Don Savant has been promoted to President, Theatre Development & Film Distribution and remains Managing Director, Asia Pacific. Savant has laid the groundwork for a vibrant and viable theatre network and distribution channel for Hollywood’s movies on Imax screens throughout the Asia Pacific region. Imax also appointed Jim Athanasopolous Chief Financial Officer of Imax China. Jessie Chou, Vice President, Theatre Operations and Marketing and Karl Yuan, Vice President, Theatre Development remain key members of the Imax China management team. Together Chen, Savant, Athanasopolous, Ms. Chou and Yuan will ensure that The Imax Experience and the Imax brand continue to grow in popularity in China.
Gelfond said, "The synergy between his experience at Sony and our efforts to develop the Imax brand makes Chen a perfect fit to build market share and lead Imax China in this region’s rapidly developing motion picture industry."
Imax China, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Imax Corporation with two offices – one in Shanghai and one in Beijing — was established to provide a foundation upon which to expand the Imax business throughout Greater China. China is Imax’s second-largest and fastest-growing market in the world, with 48 Imax theaters (30 commercial and 18 institutional) open today, and 181 Imax theaters contracted to be open throughout the region by 2015. In March 2011, Imax Corporation signed a joint revenue sharing arrangement in China with Wanda Cinema Line Corporation for 75 theaters.
