Video Game Industry Taps Movie Industry Executive To Head Communications And Research Department

Washington, DC – Rich Taylor, a former senior executive with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and aide to Congressman Jim Chapman (D-TX), is the Entertainment Software Association’s (ESA) new Senior Vice President for Communications and Research, the ESA announced today. Taylor will start the ESA position in early-December.

“The ESA and the video game industry are very lucky to have Rich aboard,” said Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the ESA, which represents U.S. computer and video game publishers. “Rich’s expertise and extensive experience in communications are a perfect match for the investment, innovation, and creativity of the video game industry.”

Taylor served as a Senior Vice President for the MPAA, the global voice and advocate of the American motion picture, home video and television industries. During his tenure with MPAA, Taylor was the overall head of the organization’s communications department under former MPAA President Jack Valenti. In that capacity, he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Motion Picture Association of America’s press and communications efforts, while serving as the primary spokesman and senior strategist for the American motion picture industry.

“Rich will undoubtedly be a great asset to the Entertainment Software Association. Rich has spent many years in the entertainment industry and has a deep knowledge about the opportunities and challenges facing our businesses. The ESA and MPAA share many of the same goals such as promoting intellectual property rights and reducing piracy across the world. Rich will hit the ground running in his new position and his insight and creativity will be valuable to ESA, just as it was for the MPAA,” noted Dan Glickman, CEO of the MPAA.

“It’s a great day for the content industries to have a talented veteran rejoin our ranks. Rich is a great addition to the ESA team. We look forward to working with him and all those at ESA on issues important to the content community,” said Mitch Bainwol, CEO, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry.

Prior to joining MPAA, Taylor was a Senior Associate with Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide in Washington, DC. While there, Taylor spearheaded a number of national campaigns on behalf of agency clients.

The ESA is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of the companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. ESA members collectively account for more than 90 percent of the $7.4 billion in entertainment software sales in the U.S. in 2006, and billions more in export sales of entertainment software. For more information about the ESA, please visit www.theESA.com.