Toonz, now in New Zealand

Toonz Entertainment, a content and animation company which incorporates flagship division Toonz Animation in India, is all set to have a dedicated subsidiary office in Auckland to further the presence of its brands and partnerships in Australia and New Zealand.

Toonz Animation was set up in the Technopark campus in the late 1990s and P. Jayakumar, CEO of Toonz Media Group, said this is a significant opportunity for the company.

"New Zealand and Australia are key markets for our properties and we believe that there is considerable potential in having a dedicated operation on the ground to help to maximise our presence in the region and establish mutually beneficial partnerships," said Jayakumar.

The new operations will be headed by Mark Nicholls, newly appointed director of Toonz Entertainment, New Zealand.

The new operation will exploit existing and future animated and live action IP, forging strategic production, licensing, retail and technology partnerships in the region.

It will also support the Toonz development pipeline and help to incubate and cross-pollinate ideas specifically for these markets.

Nicholls said it's an ideal time to grow a business in New Zealand, which is experiencing strong economic growth.

"With this new base, Toonz will be able to maximise the synergies across Asia, New Zealand and Australia as well as offering opportunities to local businesses," said Nicholls.

Toonz New Zealand plans to take off with the launch of a new retail product. This product is designed by the expert design and research team in Toonz, and will be released in the New Zealand and Australian markets.

The setting up of Toonz Entertainment, New Zealand, follows the closing of the company's acquisition of Spain's Imira Entertainment, which furthers its penetration into Europe and Latin America and sees the company securing a strong presence in major markets globally.

Since its inception here, Toonz has seen many successful co-production partnerships with companies including Walt Disney, Turner, Nickelodeon, Sony, Universal, BBC and Paramount as well as the creation of India's first 2D animated TV series and India's first 3D stereoscopic theatrical release.