Ypulse Youth Media Movers & Shakers
Posted by meredith on 10-05-2009Today we bring you another installment of Youth Media Movers and Shakers. We've culled through industry publications looking for the recent executive placements we think you should know about. If you have executive news that you want us to highlight in our next "Movers and Shakers," email me.
Twentieth Century Fox announced the appointment of award-winning video game executive Andre Emerson as Vice President of Video Game Production. In this newly created position, Emerson will oversee the production of Fox’s extensive portfolio of video game projects based on its popular TV and film library… Prior to joining Fox Licensing, Emerson served as President and CEO of Bad Butterz Productions, an independent videogame consulting firm represented by Creative Artists Agency. (press release)
Walt Disney Co., looking to rein in costs at its Hollywood studio as it focuses on mainstream movies, is slashing staff by 70% at its Miramax Films specialty label and is substantially reducing the number of pictures it releases. (Los Angeles Times)
Fremantle Media Enterprises has tapped U.S. tyke producer Sander Schwartz to drive its new children's division. Reporting to FME's global CEO David Ellender, the seasoned kids exec, who scooped an Emmy for his role in producing "Batman" for Kids WB!, comes onboard FME in the new role of exec VP, head of children and family entertainment immediately. (Variety)
Namco Bandai Games America names several key executives. Catherine Fowler joins at company as SVP/Marketing, Robert Stevenson as VP/Online Development, and Graeme Bayless signs on as Studio GM. Fowler, who had been SVP/Publishing, Codemasters, will be responsible for overseeing Namco Bandai Games' North American marketing strategies, corporate branding and communication efforts for its franchises, licensed properties and original products. Stevenson is charged with growing the company's online offerings including MMOGs, direct to digital titles, platforms, community services and premium downloadable content. (Cynopsis Kids)
Kimberly Lauber has been named manager of educational marketing at Penguin Children's. She had been assistant manager there. (Publishers Lunch via Mediabistro, reg. required)
Former UPN and Regency TV exec Maggie Murphy has joined Cookie Jar Entertainment as senior VP of development. Murphy most recently served as president of Eastside Entertainment, Kiefer Sutherland’s production shingle. At Cookie Jar, she’ll focus on the company’s primetime development and programming targeting tweens. (Variety)
Ken Warun joins KO Creative as Creative Director. Warun previously served as VP, ABC Entertainment Marketing and Creative Director at Style, E! and GSN. KO Creative has produced a combination of key art, on-air promotions and websites and consumer marketing campaigns for Disney Channel's Hannah Montana and High School Musical, PBS' The Electric Company, MTV's VMAs and The Hills. (Cynopsis Kids)
Social Game Network (SGN) introduced today an impressive lineup of video game industry veterans as new members to its senior leadership team. Gaming industry veteran Randy Breen is the company’s new COO, and he will report to CEO and SGN founder Shervin Pishevar. Breen will be managing game production, business development and finance. Breen previously served as Executive Producer and Creative Director at Electronic Arts, Vice President of Product Development at LucasArts, and Chief Product Officer at Emotiv Systems. (Virtual World News)
Samara Aberman Thery has been named director of communications for The School for Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University. She had been media reporter at The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. (Mediabistro, reg. required)
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Categorized under: Youth Marketing