Studio 100 completes M4E deal

M4E’s Wissper

Belgian children’s firm Studio 100 has completed its deal to acquire a majority stake in German children’s outfit M4E.

Studio 100 takes a 68% stake in M4E, which owns a library of almost 2,300 episodes of children’s and family programming that it represents internationally.

Founded in 2003, M4E also owns brands including Lizzie McGuire, Tip the Mouse, Wissper and Miffy.

Studio 100 is headquartered in Schelle, Belgium, and has branches in the Netherlands and Germany as well as animation studios in France and Australia. It also operates six theme parks in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

The founding and principal shareholders of M4E, Hans Ulrich Stoef, Michael Büttner, Oliver Jansen and Cees Wessels, agreed to sell all of their shares to Studio 100 as part of the deal, which was revealed earlier this year.

Jansen, Wessels and Andreas Kinsky, former members of M4E’s supervisory board, have resigned and will be replaced by Studio 100 founder Hans Bourlon alongside Koen Peeters and David Lloyd.

Stoef remains CEO at M4E, with the companies now focusing on international growth in kids and family entertainment. Further financial details have not been disclosed.