TOKYO, JAPAN – AOI Pro., Inc. (Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Hajime Ushioda; hereinafter “AOI Pro.”) and Nomad Editing Company, Inc. (Head Office: California, USA; CEO: Glenn Martin; hereinafter “Nomad”), a long-established North American post-production company, co-founded Ampersand Inc., a production company in Santa Monica, California. The company began full-scale operations in May 2022.
Ampersand Inc. is a joint venture between AOI Pro., one of Asia’s top production companies with international bases in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and Nomad, an established North American post-production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Austin, London, and Tokyo. Glenn Martin, the current President of Nomad, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. Phillip Detchmendy, who previously worked at Tool of North America and RSA led by North American master filmmaker Ridley Scott, has been appointed Managing Director (MD). Jennifer Gee, who served as Executive Producer (EP) at Partizan, Serial Pictures, will assume the role of Executive Producer.
Background and Objectives for Establishing a North American Office
- AOI Pro., an industry leader in global production, founded Ampersand with a strong desire to provide optimal production solutions in North America, the world’s largest film market. By combining AOI Pro.’s expansive Asian network with Nomad’s North American and European networks, both companies can expect to benefit from this partnership.
- Ampersand will support creators and artists who seek to work in the global market by offering opportunities and providing new value to films in the North American market.
- To respond to the media mix in the global market, Ampersand will provide optimal solutions not only for rich content but also for digital and Social Media content. In this day and age, it is necessary to respond to multiple channels, which makes it imperative to appoint creators who meet the latest trends. A partner in the United States will be of great value in meeting these demands.
- AOI Pro.’s slogan, “AOI MAGIC!” expresses the company’s desire to “create as many moments as possible where films bring magic into the world.” To deliver excitement and new experiences to places outside Japan, AOI Pro. will actively develop personnel with international communication and technical skills on the global stage.
(From the left) CEO of AOI Pro.: Hajime Ushioda, Nomad President: Glenn Martin, Managing Director of Ampersand : Phillip Detchmendy
AOI Pro. Representative Director & President Hajime Ushioda said, “We will venture outside Japan and take on this challenge in the U.S. to encounter brilliant collaborators, learn, expose ourselves to new cultures, and get to know people we have not yet had the chance to meet.
“At the exciting and stimulating home ground of film, LA and New York, we will seize opportunities not only in commercials but with the production of various other content such as TV shows and films, and share these experiences among members of the company.”
Nomad President Glenn Martin said, “AOI has been a great supporter and partner with Nomad Tokyo, and we are thrilled and honored to assist with this new venture in the States.”
Ampersand Managing Director Phillip Detchmendy said, “It’s a great honor to be Managing Director of Ampersand and be part of its launch. The name Ampersand represents the additive power that comes from bringing together different components to make brand stories come to life for our agency and client partners. As a U.S. company, we are both embedded in the U.S. market locally while being part of the global AOI network.”
