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Bandai Namco Restructures, Combines Visual Business, Music/Live Event Companies
posted on by Alex Mateo
Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. announced on Tuesday that it is reorganizing the companies belonging to the IP Production Unit by combining three visual business companies into one company, as well as three music and live event businesses into another company. After the conclusion of the agreement in February 2022, the restructuring will take place on April 1, 2022.
Sunrise will handle the newly combined visual business company, which will consist of Sunrise, Bandai Namco Arts' video contents, and Bandai Namco Rights Marketing. Bandai Namco Arts will focus on the music and live events company, which will consist of Bandai Namco Arts' music contents, Bandai Namco Live Creative, and Sunrise Music. The image above depicts the current structure on the left, and the new reorganized structure on the right.
Bandai Namco Holdings aims to strengthen its visual, music, and live event businesses, as well as IP creation and production through this reorganization. The company plans to share the different expertise, strengths, and networks of each company, and strengthen human resources involved in IP creation and production. Bandai Namco also stated that the reorganization will allow the company to "conduct its business more quickly in a rapidly changing industry."
By bringing together functions in order to leverage the strengths of the visual business, music business and live event business to the fullest extent and by further strengthening our IP creation and production capabilities through this reorganization, the Company will be able to conduct its business more quickly in a rapidly changing industry.
Bandai Namco Holdings previously announced in March that it would reorganize some of its overseas subsidiaries in the United States, France, and China as a result of its re-evaluation of the direction of the company's three-year mid-term plan in light of expected changes in "customers' lifestyles and sense of value."
Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe S.A.S. merged with Bandai Namco Holdings France S.A.S. on September 30, and and it is retaining the name of Bandai Namco Holdings France S.A.S.
Bandai Namco Toys & Hobby Shanghai Co, Ltd. will merge with Bandai Namco Entertainment Shanghai Co., Ltd., and will retain the name of Bandai Namco Entertainment Shanghai Co, Ltd. effective January 1, 2022.
Bandai Namco Collectibles LLC will merge with Bandai America Inc., and will retain the name of Bandai America Inc., effective April 1, 2022.
In addition, the Bandai Namco Group will shift from a five-unit structure to a three-unit structure consisting of the Entertainment Unit (merge of previous Toys and Hobby Unit and Network Entertainment Unit), the IP Production Unit (merge of previous Visual and Music Production Unit and IP Creation Unit), and the Amusement Unit (formerly the Real Entertainment Unit).
Source: Bandai Namco (link 2)
Disclosure: Bandai Namco Arts Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. Bandai Namco Rights Marketing Inc., another wholly owned subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc., is a non-controlling, minority shareholder in Anime News Network Inc.
