Company Launches
Eros International has set up an in-house production company. Called Trinity Pictures, the unit will invest in and develop the company’s own intellectual property, with a focus on franchise movies. Trinity will be headed by Ajit Thakur, an executive who recently left 21st Century Fox’s Star TV. Film
Tom Rothman, head of TriStar and former longtime co-leader of 20th Century Fox’s filmed entertainment division, was named chairman of Sony's Motion Picture Group.
Gail Berman’s production company The Jackal Group, a joint venture with Fox Networks group, has hired Rory Koslow to serve as SVP Film Development. Jackal Group recently signed a first-look feature film deal with Fox 2000.
Television
A few months after Jane Turton was promoted to Managing Director at All3Media amid the company’s sale to Discovery Communications and Liberty Global, she has been named CEO of the UK-based TV, film, and digital content company.
Kudos (producer of Broadchurch) has named two executives to act as joint CEOs, replacing Jane Featherstone who announced her departure in January. Diederick Santer and Dan Isaacs will transition into the posts as Featherstone preps to leave in May.Santer is joining from Lovely Day, which he established with Kudos in 2010. Kudos is part of the newly formed Endemol Shine Group.
Starz has promoted Alison Hoffman to EVP of Marketing from her previous position as SVP of Originals Marketing. Hoffman will spearhead all consumer and affiliate marketing for the network.
MSNBC has named veteran sports producer Michael Weisman to the newly created position of Executive in Charge. Weisman will oversee show production. Alex Korson, who was named EP of the show in 2011, will still serve as executive producer, but will report to Weisman.
Brad Schwartz has been promoted to president of Pop, less than two years after he was brought in as president of Entertainment and Media for TVGN, a co-venture of CBS Corp. and Lionsgate. TVGN rebranded as Pop.
Lifetime chief Rob Sharenow will handle oversight of A&E Network. Former A&E head David McKillop is changing his focus to producing. The shuffle is one of the first big decisions made by Paul Buccieri in his new role as president of A&E and History.
Digital
Musician and tech entrepreneur will.i.am has recruited Phil Molyneux to be president and COO of his i.am+ wearable devices startup. Molyneux, who started at i.am+ on Feb. 1, is based at the company’s Hollywood headquarters and reports to founder and CEO will.i.am. He was previously president of Sony Electronics in the U.S.
Lucinda Hicks has been named COO of Endemol Shine UK. Presently joint MD of group production company Dragonfly, Hicks will work with newly appointed Endemol Shine UK CEO, Richard Johnston and Chairman Lucas Church in supporting the UK-based companies and labels.
Management, PR, Music, Agencies, Misc.
Lorna Tee has been appointed as artistic director of the annual CinemAsia Film Festival in The Netherlands. She succeeds the festival’s founder Doris Yeung. Malaysian-born Tee is a former Variety executive, and she was previously based in Hong Kong. She’s a producer who has worked at Focus Films (Hong Kong), Irresistible Films, and with the Asian Film Awards.
Bob Chapek, who has run the Consumer Products unit at Disney since 2011, will now oversee Parks and Resorts, Disney’s second biggest business after its TV networks.
BAFTA's Los Angeles chapter has named Chantal Rickards the organization's first Chief Executive Officer. Rickards starts on April 14, after relocating from London. She will report to the BAFTA LA Board of Directors.
Carrie Wiltshire has been named Chief Operating Officer of Ignition Creative, the Santa Monica-based ad agency that creates marketing materials and campaigns and services several Hollywood studios and networks.