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Â鶹Éç Worldwide has announced that Paul Dempsey, Â鶹Éç Worldwide's Managing Director for Home Entertainment, today replaced Richard Green, who has left the company, as 2|entertain's Chief Executive. Dempsey will take on the role in addition to his current post as Home Entertainment MD at the commercial arm of the corporation.

2|entertain was created in July 2004 as a 60:40 joint venture with Woolworths Group, combining the former VCI video/DVD, music and TV production business with Â鶹Éç Worldwide's video publishing arm. Since late last year, Â鶹Éç Worldwide has been in negotiation with both Woolworths and subsequently their administrators to acquire the outstanding 40% stake in the business.

Dempsey was appointed to Â鶹Éç Worldwide's Board last December and oversees Â鶹Éç Audiobooks, Audio & Music (comprising music licensing, publishing and content development) and 2|entertain. He also represents Â鶹Éç Worldwide's interests in its joint ventures with Random House (Â鶹Éç Books) and Pearson Education (Â鶹Éç Active), taking a seat on the board of all joint ventures managed within the Home Entertainment business.

Commenting on the new role, Dempsey said: "2|entertain is a terrific British-owned company producing some of the most popular and highest quality DVDs around, including the majority of the Â鶹Éç catalogue. Although we are still negotiating terms for the sale of the outstanding 40% stake of 2|entertain, my arrival as Chief Executive is to ensure that the business is in the best possible shape when full Â鶹Éç Worldwide ownership occurs."

Prior to joining Â鶹Éç Worldwide, Dempsey's career was in sales and marketing and included eight years at Mars Confectionery followed by two years as Sales Director of Frontline Ltd, Â鶹Éç Worldwide's magazine distribution partnership with H Bauer and Haymarket. He joined Â鶹Éç Worldwide in 1998 as UK Sales Director and became Managing Director of Â鶹Éç Audiobooks in 2001. In 2007 he was given responsibility for Â鶹Éç Worldwide's Audio & Music business which was established to work closely with its counterpart, the Â鶹Éç's Audio & Music division to commercially exploit their programming, archive and brands.

NOTES TO EDITORS
About 2|entertain
2 entertain is the UK's leading global entertainment player, 2|entertain consists of three divisions: 2|entertain video, Demon Records and Banana Split Productions. 2|entertain was created in July 2004 as a joint venture with Woolworths Group, combining the former VCI video/DVD, music and TV production business with Â鶹Éç Worldwide's video publishing arm.

Philip Fleming