Wanda

This morning I had a meeting with a company called Wanda. Like most big Chinese companies, they haven't been around for long, although Wanda have been around for longer than most (1988). Initially dealing in property and department stores, they've recently taken an interest in the UK and bought a luxury yacht company and land in Nine Elms, near where the new US embassy is being built. But it's their interest in cinemas that has piqued my interest. They have 115 across the country, of which 67 are IMAX. All are digital. They've also just bought the American chain, AMC and are investing in a Film Technology Park in Wuhan (part of which was designed by Mark Fisher - see earlier post). So perhaps they'll be interested in our British Film Week?  Oh, and their CEO Wang Jianlin is now officially the richest person in China.