Andrew J. England Steps Down as Chief Executive Officer
Clifford E. Marks Appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer
Board Initiates Search for Permanent Successor
CENTENNIAL, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 5, 2018--
National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCMI) (“NCM” or “the Company”), the
managing member and owner of 48.8% of National CineMedia, LLC (“NCM
LLC”), the operator of the largest in-theater digital media network in
North America, announced that Andrew J. England has stepped down as
Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Company’s Board of Directors
and that the Company’s President, Clifford E. Marks, has been appointed
to the additional role of Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective
today. Mr. Marks has more than 30 years of advertising, marketing and
sales experience in the media and entertainment industry. He joined NCM
as an original member of the Company’s leadership team in 2002 and has
been President since 2016. The NCM Board has commenced a search to
identify a permanent CEO and has retained Korn Ferry, a leading
executive search firm, to assist in the process.
Thomas F. Lesinski, Chairman of the NCM Board of Directors, said, “The
Board is very confident in NCM’s future, and we are determined to unlock
the significant potential in NCM’s premier platform. NCM operates the
largest cinema advertising network in North America, and we are
committed to capitalizing on this unique market position to deliver
outstanding value to our advertising partners and shareholders alike.
Our CEO search will target a visionary leader who can help innovate
around NCM’s platform to ensure that we remain the leading connector
between brands and movie audiences and are best positioned for
sustainable, profitable growth.”
“As we conduct this search for a permanent CEO, we are confident that
Cliff’s leadership and the strong team in place will help ensure a
smooth transition. Cliff is a seasoned executive who has deep experience
with both NCM and our industry, which makes him ideally suited to serve
as Interim CEO,” Mr. Lesinski continued. “We extend our appreciation to
Andy for his contributions over the past several years, including his
efforts to diversify our client base and digital footprint through Noovie,
and wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Mr. Marks said, “I am honored to take on the additional role of Interim
CEO as the Board conducts its search. NCM has talented employees across
the organization, and I look forward to continuing to work with them and
our Board to support a smooth transition.”
In a separate press release issued today, NCM reported consolidated
results for the fiscal third quarter and first nine months ended
September 27, 2018. The Company has rescheduled the associated
conference call and webcast, which will now be held today at 8:30 A.M.
Eastern Time. The conference call can be accessed by dialing 1-877-
407-9716 or for international participants 1-201-493-6779. Participants
should allow at least 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the call
to register, download and install necessary audio software.
Additionally, a live audio webcast will be available to interested
parties at www.ncm.com
under the Investor Relations section. The replay of the conference call
will be available until midnight Eastern Time, November 19, 2018 by
dialing 1-844-512-2921 or for international participants 1-412-317-6671,
and conference ID 13684337.
About Clifford E. Marks
Mr. Marks joined NCM as an original member of the Company’s leadership
team in 2002, when it was then the Regal Entertainment Group media
subsidiary known as Regal CineMedia Corporation. He was named President
of Sales and Marketing when Regal CineMedia became National CineMedia in
2005 with the addition of AMC and later Cinemark as founding member
theater circuits, and was named President of NCM in 2016.
Mr. Marks was the visionary behind the creation and evolution of NCM’s
groundbreaking movie pre-show - the first to combine entertainment
content and advertising - turning cinema into not only a powerful
sight-sound-and-motion medium, but a key premium video option in today’s
fragmented media landscape. Today NCM’s Noovie pre-show is seen by over
700 million moviegoers a year, with a complementary Noovie digital
ecosystem that leads audiences to what’s next in entertaining content,
purposeful commerce and interactive gaming.
Before joining NCM, Mr. Marks was a 14-year veteran of ESPN/ABC Sports,
where as senior vice president he oversaw its $2.0 billion sales
organization. Mr. Marks was instrumental in developing vertically
integrated advertising packages for clients across multiple platforms,
including ABC Sports programming, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNews,
ESPN.com, ESPN magazine, ESPN radio and ESPNZone restaurants. From 1986
through 1989, Mr. Marks was an executive at The Nashville Network. He
began his career at advertising agencies Young & Rubicam and BBDO.
Mr. Marks currently serves as a director on the Executive Board of the
Screen Advertising World Association (SAWA) and also serves on the
marketing committee of the International 3D Society. Mr. Marks
previously served several terms as president and chairman of the Cinema
Advertising Council (CAC).
About National CineMedia, Inc.
National CineMedia (NCM) is America’s Movie Network. As the #1
Millennial weekend network in the U.S., NCM is the connector between
brands and movie audiences. According to Nielsen, more than 700 million
moviegoers annually attend theaters that are currently under contract to
present NCM’s Noovie pre-show in 55 leading national and regional
theater circuits including AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE:AMC), Cinemark
Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (a subsidiary of
Cineworld Group PLC, LON: CINE). NCM’s cinema advertising network offers
broad reach and unparalleled audience engagement with over 21,100
screens in over 1,700 theaters in 188 Designated Market Areas® (49 of
the top 50). NCM Digital goes beyond the big screen, extending
in-theater campaigns into online and mobile marketing programs to reach
entertainment audiences. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCMI) owns a
48.8% interest in, and is the managing member of, National CineMedia,
LLC. For more information, visit www.ncm.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains various forward-looking statements that
reflect management’s current expectations or beliefs regarding future
events, including statements providing guidance and projections for the
full year 2018. Investors are cautioned that reliance on these
forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Although
the Company believes that the assumptions used in the forward-looking
statements are reasonable, any of these assumptions could prove to be
inaccurate and, as a result, actual results could differ materially from
those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. The
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements are, among
others, 1) level of theater attendance or viewership of the Noovie
pre-show; 2) increased competition for advertising expenditures; 3)
changes to relationships with NCM LLC’s founding members; 4) inability
to implement or achieve new revenue opportunities; 5) technological
changes and innovations; 6) economic conditions, including the level of
expenditures on cinema advertising; 7) our ability to renew or replace
expiring advertising and content contracts; 8) our need for additional
funding, risks and uncertainties relating to our significant
indebtedness; 9) reinvestment in our network and product offerings may
require significant funding and resulting reallocation of resources; 10)
fluctuations in operating costs; and 11) changes in interest rates. In
addition, the outlook provided does not include the impact of any future
unusual or infrequent transactions; sales and acquisitions of operating
assets and investments; any future non-cash impairments of intangible
and fixed assets; amounts related to litigation or the related impact of
taxes that may occur from time to time due to management decisions and
changing business circumstances. The Company is currently unable to
forecast precisely the timing and/or magnitude of any such amounts or
events. Please refer to the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission
filings, including the “Risk Factor” section of the Company’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2017, for further
information about these and other risks. Investors are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak
only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation
to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result, of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181105005404/en/
Source: National CineMedia, Inc.
National CineMedia, Inc.
Investors:
Ted Watson,
800-844-0935
investors@ncm.com
or
Media:
Amy
Jane Finnerty, 212-931-8117
amy.finnerty@ncm.com