Fink Joins AGP Full Time
American Greetings Properties (AGP), the intellectual property and outbound licensing division of American Greetings Corporation, announced that Frank Fink has joined the AGP team full time as vice-president business affairs. Fink originally joined American Greetings in 2000 as part of the acquisition of online marketing company eAgents, Inc., and subsequently served as general counsel of AG Interactive. In 2007, he transitioned to the business side of the organization, leading business affairs for the AG Intellectual Property Group, which included both AG Interactive and AG Properties.
In his expanded role, Fink will be responsible for negotiating development and co-production agreements and new property acquisitions. He will also be managing worldwide entertainment sales and distribution.
Corus Announces New Roles in Television Division
Corus Entertainment announced new roles in its television division within the international, programming, and production teams.
The following announcements were made in the TV international/Nelvana Enterprises area, which reports to Colin Bohm, vice-president, international.
Jerry Diaz assumes the role of vice-president, worldwide sales and distribution. In this position, Diaz is responsible for the placement of Corus-controlled content with key linear and non-linear partners around the world.
As vice-president, licensing, Europe, and based in Paris, Antoine Erligmann oversees Nelvana Enterprises’ European consumer products business and is responsible for managing brands with licensees, retailers, and merchandise agents in Europe.
Peter Maule serves as vice-president, worldwide home entertainment and digital media, licensing Americas and Asia Pacific. In addition to being responsible for optimizing Corus-controlled properties across all home entertainment and digital media channels, Maule oversees Nelvana Enterprises’ consumer product business in the Americas and Asia Pacific.
As vice-president, development and co-productions, Irene Weibel is responsible for the creative development of Nelvana Studio properties for the Corus family of channels. She is also responsible for developing new co-production partnerships, managing Nelvana’s feature film slate, and, together with Corus’s sales team, placing Nelvana’s shows in the U.S. broadcast marketplace.
Director, creative services Andrew Liem develops creative materials and tools to support Nelvana’s global merchandise, home entertainment, and broadcasting brand rollouts. Liem is responsible for developing style guides, product approval and development, and liaising with key underlying rights holders.
On the TV programming and producting team, reporting to Doug Murphy on a temporary basis as a search is conducted for a vice-president, head of programming and production, will be:
In his role as vice-president, kids/family programming, Ted Ellis will oversee the direction of content and schedule strategies for all of Corus’ kids and family networks including YTV, Treehouse, Nickelodeon, and CMT.
Vice-president, women’s programming Renee Skea will oversee the direction of content and schedule strategies for all women’s specialty networks including W Network, VIVA, CosmoTV, and W Movies.
As vice-president, original programming, lifestyle, reality, factual, Vibika Bianchi is responsible for all original unscripted programming, working closely with the sales team on integrated content opportunities for all Corus’ specialty and pay networks.
New vice-president, original programming, kids, comedy, drama Jocelyn Hamilton is responsible for all scripted original production and development for all Corus’ specialty and pay networks.
Karen Philips, vice-president, network program operations, will continue to oversee and manage the transition, development, and performance of program management systems, as well as establish and oversee best practices and strategy across Corus’ specialty and pay networks.
Lynn Chadwick, vice-president, network content acquisitions and pay, oversees all aspects of the Corus Television network’s acquisition activities. She is responsible for negotiating and closing program, content, and equity, and will work toward standardizing rights for use across all channels and platforms. In addition, Chadwick is responsible for the pay and movie programming group, including DUSK and Sundance.