Erika Burton Joins DNEG Animation as President, Alongside Tom Jacomb

Pair Share President Title and Leadership Responsibilities to Support Animation Studio’s Rapid Growth and Development

DNEG, a leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studio for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content, announced today that Erika Burton will join its DNEG Animation arm as President. Burton, who will share both the President title and leadership responsibilities with DNEG Animation President Tom Jacomb, joins the division to support its rapid growth and development.

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DNEG's Erika Burton joins DNEG Animation as President and shares both the President title and leadership responsibilities with current DNEG Animation President Tom Jacomb after previously serving as DNEG's President, VFX Production. (Photo: Business Wire)

Burton, who was previously President, VFX Production at DNEG, has prior animation industry experience from stints at both Disney Animation and DreamWorks. Her focus at DNEG Animation will be on production, resource management, training, and operations, working in lockstep with Jacomb, who will focus on creative, client management and outreach, and the development of IP and original content.

“I am delighted to welcome Erika to the team as we continue to establish DNEG Animation as the best place in the industry to build your career,” said Tom Jacomb, President, DNEG Animation. “We have more exciting projects, more growth and expansion, and more original content and co-productions on the horizon, and Erika will be absolutely instrumental in helping to ensure that we have a rock-solid foundation upon which to continue building. I’m also delighted that she will be contributing her compassion, warmth, and experience to the amazing work that our teams are already doing in putting equality, diversity and inclusivity at the heart of everything that we do here at DNEG Animation.”

In recent years, DNEG Animation has grown from a small team in London to become a global team of approximately 850 employees working across studios in London, Montreal, Mumbai, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Toronto. The company’s first full-length animated feature, Locksmith Animation’s Ron’s Gone Wrong, received a theatrical release in October 2021, subsequently garnering multiple Annie Award nominations and winning “Best Feature” at the 2022 British Animation Awards.

“I feel excited and honored to be joining Tom and the DNEG Animation team,” said Burton. “I have been fortunate enough to work with some immensely talented VFX and animation teams during the course of my career, and I love both disciplines equally. There is something really compelling and challenging about animated filmmaking that keeps drawing me back and this is just a tremendous new opportunity.”

“Working with DNEG’s VFX teams over the last year has been a career highlight for me, but when the invitation came to join Tom, David [Prescott, SVP Creative], Crosby [Clyse, Head of Production] and all of the other talented folks on the animation side of our business, it was one that I could not turn down,” Burton continued. “We have some truly amazing projects in the pipeline at DNEG Animation, as well as some exciting opportunities to push the creative and technical boundaries of animated content production to their limits.”

DNEG Animation is currently in production on ‘Nimona’ (Annapurna Pictures/Netflix), ‘Garfield’ (Alcon Entertainment/Sony), ‘That Christmas’ (Locksmith Animation) and an unannounced episodic animated series for a major streamer.

Burton and the DNEG Animation team are at the Annecy Film Festival with two presentation sessions on Thursday, June 16th, 2022:

11:30am Pathways to DNEG

A tour of the roles, locations, and projects at DNEG Animation, and the pathways you can take to join the team.

2pm DNEG Animation: A Proper Hello

The leadership team will share how they built a startup animation studio within an established, award-winning visual effects company and how it is staying true to the history, art and craft of animation while leveraging technology for the future.

On January 25, 2022, DNEG announced its entry into a definitive business combination agreement with Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: AKIC). Upon the closing of the business combination, which is expected in the first half of 2022, the combined public company will be named DNEG. For more information about the transaction, please visit https://investors.dneg.com/.

About DNEG

DNEG (www.dneg.com) is one of the world’s leading visual effects (VFX) and animation companies for the creation of feature film, television, and multiplatform content. DNEG employs nearly 7,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai and Mumbai). DNEG’s critically acclaimed work has earned the company seven Academy Awards^® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY^® Awards for its high-quality VFX work.

DNEG Animation is a full-service animation studio that embraces creativity and technological innovations to enable filmmakers the freedom to bring their stories to life in a new era of animation. Current and upcoming projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Nimona, Garfield, and That Christmas.

About Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp.

Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company organized with the purpose of effecting a merger similar business combination with a major entertainment powerhouse. Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. is led by Alan Kestenbaum, businessman and minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL. Other leadership members include Robert Tilliss, who brings with him extensive sports and arena expertise, Daniel Strauss, and Steve Horowitz.

Additional Information About the Transaction and Where to Find It

This communication may be deemed to be solicitation material with respect to the proposed transaction for Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. to acquire Prime Focus World NV. In connection with this proposed transaction, Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. will file a definitive proxy statement with the SEC, which will be sent to the shareholders of Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. will also file other documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC. This communication does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed transaction. It is not intended to provide the basis for any investment decision or any other decision in respect to the proposed transaction. SHAREHOLDERS OF SPORTS VENTURES ACQUISITION CORP. ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.

The documents filed by Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. with the SEC may also be obtained free of charge at Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp.’s website at https://www.sportsventuresacq.com or upon written request to Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp., 9705 Collins Ave 1901N, Bal Harbour, FL 33154.

Participants in Solicitation

Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp., Prime Focus World NV and their respective directors, executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. Class A Ordinary shares in respect of the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. and their ownership of Class A Ordinary shares are set forth in its Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, which was filed with the SEC on March 1, 2022, and its Reports on Form 8-K, which were filed with the SEC on April 6, 2021 and January 12, 2022, as modified or supplemented by any Form 3 or Form 4 since the date of that filing. Investors may obtain additional information regarding the interest of such participants by reading the preliminary proxy statement and the definitive proxy statement when available.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell, or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell, or an invitation to subscribe for, buy or sell any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, invitation, sale or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and otherwise in accordance with applicable law.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact contained in this communication including, without limitation, statements regarding Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp.’s or Prime Focus World NV’s financial position, expected operating performance, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations; anticipated financial impacts of the proposed transaction; the satisfaction of the closing conditions to the proposed transaction; and the timing of the completion of the proposed transaction, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, results or events and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including financial community and rating agency perceptions of Prime Focus World NV, Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. and their respective business, operations, financial condition and the industries in which they operate, the risk that the proposed transaction between Prime Focus World NV, and Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. may not be consummated, and the factors described in the "Risk Factors" section of Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp.’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, which was filed with the SEC on March 1, 2022, the proxy statement discussed above and other documents filed by Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. from time to time with the SEC. Prime Focus World NV and Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp. each disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein.

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