AAM Names John Aalbers CEO Replacing Howard Kiedaisch

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Thu, 06/12/2014 - 14:45 -- Nick Dager

Arts Alliance Media has announced that Howard Kiedaisch will be stepping down as CEO after nine years in the position. John Aalbers, former CEO of telecom industry software provider Volubill, will become CEO effective July 7. In addition AAM’s Cinema distribution division will merge with its content production and finance company, and sister company to AAM, Mr. Wolf. This merger will create a separate, newly integrated content production, finance, distribution and marketing business focused on delivering Event Cinema. The new company will do business under the name Arts Alliance Limited.

These announcements follow AAM’s recent news that it had sold its Content Processing and Delivery division to Motion Picture Solutions. Together these developments complete the streamlining process that now enables AAM to focus entirely on supplying technology, support, software and financing solutions to cinemas worldwide.

During Kiedaisch’s tenure as CEO of AAM the company moved from start-up phase to digitising over 4,000 cinema screens under VPF programs worldwide with more still to come. During this time AAM also developed a digital cinema software business, which currently touches over 20,000 screens worldwide, and built a Network Operations Centre that currently supports over 11,000 screens for exhibitors around the globe. In the same period AAM also pioneered today’s burgeoning Event Cinema sector, distributing and marketing over 80 releases.

AAM chairman John Woodward said, “I speak for everyone on the AAM Board and in the business when I thank Howard for his extraordinary achievements at AAM over the past nine years.  AAM has thrived under Howard’s leadership, and now with this restructuring Howard leaves having expertly positioned the company to continue to be a major player in the expanding world of digital cinema.”

Aalbers said, “I am very much looking forward to taking over the reins from Howard and building on the terrific business he and his team have created. I see tremendous potential in the cinema business that can be unlocked with the exciting technologies that are now becoming available and the fact that AAM will help our customers benefit from these innovations is why I joined the company.”

Kiedaisch said, “I’ve had an amazing time at AAM and have loved working with the team and in the industry but it is time to pass the torch and try something new. AAM has a very bright future ahead as we have only really begun to see what digital can do for the cinema industry.” Kiedaisch will remain on the board of AAM.

Arts Alliance Media www.artsalliancemedia.com