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Alfred R. Kahn is Chairman and CEO of 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. - a New York Stock Exchange-listed Company that is a global provider of children's entertainment and merchandise licensing.
Mr. Kahn joined Leisure Concepts, Inc. (predecessor to 4Kids Entertainment's licensing division) in 1988 and is the architect of its expansion into a vertically integrated group of companies collectively known as 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. Mr. Kahn is a leading figure in the licensing industry, responsible for many of its biggest hits, including Pokémon, Cabbage Patch Kids and Yu-Gi-Oh! Mr. Kahn's entrepreneurial insight and unique youth-oriented marketing strategies are the hallmarks of his corporate vision.
In 1992, Mr. Kahn added television production and distribution and media planning and buying to 4Kids Entertainment's licensing business by forming two subsidiaries: 4Kids Productions, Inc. and The Summit Media Group, Inc. In 2000, Mr. Kahn created 4Kids Technology, Inc. and Websites 4Kids, Inc. In January 2002, Mr. Kahn again expanded the scope of the Company by winning the bidding to lease Fox Broadcasting's Saturday morning children's block. The programming block, called the 4Kids TV, commenced with Fox's Fall 2002 schedule. With the additional hours of programming, the Company has become one of the largest suppliers of children's entertainment content to network television in the United States, with an average of 11 shows and 11 hours per week of programming in the 2002/2003 broadcast season. Also in 2002, Mr. Kahn added 4Kids Entertainment Home Video, Inc. and 4Kids Entertainment Music, Inc.
Mr. Kahn has created a fully integrated platform that positions 4Kids Entertainment to harness and reap the rewards of some of the most exciting children's entertainment in the world. Mr. Kahn is a pioneer in identifying trends in Japanese popular culture and adapting them to a global audience, which has led to many successes for the Company, including Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!
A licensing and merchandising veteran with a strong retail background, Mr. Kahn was previously Executive Vice President of Marketing for Coleco Toys, where he is best known for acquiring the license and then mapping out the marketing strategy for the Cabbage Patch Kids. Mr. Kahn received his bachelor's degree from C.W. Post College. | 