Disney Channel Gears Up for European Expansion With Key Appointments Across the Region

Disney Channel Gears Up for European Expansion With Key Appointments Across the Region

LONDON and BURBANK, California, February 21/PRNewswire/ --

- With Photos

Disney Channels Worldwide has named six key executive appointments to support it expansion plans in Europe including the maximizing of its global content, growing franchise business and increased investment in European production. The announcement was made today by John Hardie, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Disney Channels Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

The executives are: Disney Channel veteran Michael Cairns who returns to his native UK as Vice President and General Manager, Disney Channels UK and Ireland; Lars Wagner who joins the Company in the new role of Vice President and General Manager, Disney Channel Germany, Switzerland and Austria, Hélène Etzi who has been promoted to Vice President and General Manager, Disney Channel France; Casper Bjorner who has been promoted to Vice President and General Manager, Disney Channels Scandinavia and Emerging Markets; Nicoletta Gelli who has been named Vice President, Brand Marketing, Disney Channels EMEA and Anna Hill who has been promoted to Executive Director, Marketing, Disney Channels EMEA. Each will report to John Hardie.

A new organisational structure follows Disney Channel EMEA's transition to basic distribution, taking it from 14 million to 32 million households in Europe. It includes the creation of dedicated franchise management and regional marketing teams and a new management team responsible for Disney Channels in Scandinavia and Emerging Markets, recognising the growth and scale of the businesses in these territories.

In making the announcement Hardie said, "These executives bring experience, skill and leadership to the job as Disney's kids' TV business continues to expand across the region, becoming the market leader by strengthening our reach to 32 million households, launching channels in emerging markets, building franchises from 'High School Musical' and 'Hannah Montana' to 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse' and 'My Friends Tigger & Pooh' and developing European-produced creative content including the hit 'Quelli dell'Intervallo' for our global business."

Michael Cairns has been named Vice President and General Manager, Disney Channels UK and Ireland. Cairns joined Disney Channel Italy in 1997 and since 2004 was Managing Director and Vice President, Disney Channel Australia and New Zealand. He will relocate from Sydney to London in March. The Company announced last month that his predecessor, Robert Gilby, has been named Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Disney-ABC International Television, Asia-Pacific.

A highly regarded television executive, Lars Wagner joins Disney from Discovery Channels Germany where he was Channel Director since January 2005 responsible for its channel portfolio including Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery Geschichte and Discovery HD. He was previously Business Director at leading international TV branding and design agency Bruce Dunlop & Associates and Creative Director at Universal Studios Networks Germany.

Hélène Etzi has been promoted to Vice President and General Manager, Disney Channels France. Disney Channel's Marketing Director since she joined the company in 2004, she will now be responsible for managing Disney's portfolio of channels in the French market. She joined Disney from EasyNet France, where she was Marketing Director, responsible for setting and implementing marketing and communications strategy. She previously spent 6 years in various roles for France Telecom, which she joined from the advertising industry. The Walt Disney Company also announced today that Simon Amselem has been named Senior Vice President, Channel Distribution DAIT EMEA as part of a new alignment of the Company's diverse portfolio of media assets under one distribution and sales management team. Amselem joined the Company in 1995 and since 2005 has been Senior Vice-President and Managing Director, Disney Channel France.

Casper Bjorner has been promoted to Vice President and General Manager, Disney Channels Scandinavia and Emerging Markets. He was most recently Vice President, Marketing and Deputy Managing Director, Disney Channels UK, Scandinavia and Emerging Markets. In his new role, he will manage Disney Channels in Scandinavia, Poland, Middle East and South Africa. Bjorner joined Disney in January 2003 from SBS where he was Danish Marketing Director responsible for TvDanmark 1 & 2 (now Kanal 5 and Kanal 4).

Nicoletta Gelli is taking on the new role of Vice President, Brand Marketing, Disney Channels EMEA responsible for brand and franchise development and synergy. The introduction of this role aligns the European team with their US counterparts and aims to make brands like Hannah Montana as ubiquitous in Europe as in the US. Gelli joined the London team in 2004 as Disney Channel EMEA Marketing Director and was promoted to Vice President, Marketing, Disney Channels EMEA last year. She previously spent four years as Marketing and Communications Director in Disney Channel Italia and two years as head of the PR and Events team.

Anna Hill has been promoted to the new role of Executive Director, Marketing, Disney Channels EMEA and will be responsible for cross-channel marketing activities throughout the region. She has been with Disney for seven years and was previously Marketing Director for Disney Channels UK and Emerging Markets, running successful campaigns for the launch of Disney Channel properties including High School Musical. Before she joined Disney, she worked in advertising and her last role was as an Account Director at Joshua.

The Disney-ABC Television Group is home to all of The Walt Disney Company's (NYSE: DIS) worldwide entertainment and news television properties. Its Disney Channels Worldwide represents the most successful portfolio of kids' channels in the world. It is comprised of 27 Disney Channels, ten Playhouse Disney Channels and nine Toon Disney Channels. Through a strategic partnership with Disney ABC International Television for the distribution of Disney-branded blocks of kids' programming across the globe, Disney Channels Worldwide reach more than 600 million viewers in over 100 countries in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Latin America and South Africa. Disney Channel properties continue to rapidly expand into new markets across the world, playing a key role in introducing the Disney brand to new consumers.

Notes to Editors

Disney Channels EMEA (Europe Middle East and Africa), part of the Disney-ABC Television Group, is responsible for the Walt Disney Company's branded channels and terrestrial branded programming throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Disney Channels EMEA oversees three Disney branded channels across Europe; Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney and Toon Disney as well as Disney Cinemagic a UK premium channel for families which premieres the latest animated films.

Since 1995, 20 Disney branded channels have been successfully launched throughout EMEA. Disney Channels EMEA also provides programming for 60 branded blocks in 45 territories across EMEA each month.

Disney Channels EMEA has local operations based in London, Paris, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Lisbon and Stockholm.

Pictures accompanying this release are available through the PA Photowire. They can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.

Source: Disney Channels Worldwide

Press Contact: Joss Hastings, Executive Director, Media Relations Disney Channels EMEA, Tel: +44(0)208-636-4544

---

Profile: International Entertainment