Cartoon Network (Atlanta, Georgia, 404-827-1500): Christina Miller is expanding her role in the Turner house. As the former VP of consumer products has been promoted to SVP of Turner Sports strategy/marketing/promotions and Cartoon Network Enterprises. She’ll still oversee CN’s consumer products and home vid biz in the US, but her new responsibilities now include overall management and direction of Turner Sports strategy, marketing and programming, along with overseeing relationships with league partners, Turner nets and their digital extensions. Miller will make the move to Atlanta from New York. Meanwhile, stepping into the newly created position of VP and executive producer for Cartoon Network Digital is Kitric Kerns. He comes to Cartoon from Disney, where he served as director of digital media at ABC Daytime/SOAPnet, and previously worked as GM of Lightspeed Interactive.
CBS Consumer Products (New York, New York, 212-975-5232): Veronica Hart and John Van Citters have been bumped to VP status at CBS’s licensing arm. Previously the director of licensing, Hart steps into her new role as VP of licensing to manage a portfolio of licensing categories. Meanwhile, Citters moves up from director to VP of product development, taking on responsibility for all development and approvals on Star Trek.
Cookie Jar Entertainment (Toronto, Canada, 416-977-3238): Looking after Cookie Jar’s sales for new programming and consumer products in Latin America is new VP Rodrigo Pizá. Based in Toronto, Pizá brings more than 14 years of experience to his new role. He most recently held a post at HIT Entertainment as VP of television, Canada, US Hispanic and Latin America live events and sponsorships. Prior to that, he served as GM of the Locomotion Channel and did a stint as director of Nelvana Enterprises UK.
FremantleMedia Enterprises (London, England, 44-207-691-6000): Looking to establish production operations for the Indian market, FremantleMedia has brought Saurindra Kumar Barua Raj on-board as the division’s new MD. He’ll be putting together a new team, working closely with various FME divisions to leverage its relationships and content. Raj previously served as VP and regional CFO for Singapore-based Discovery Asia.
Kidz Entertainment (Copenhagen, Denmark, 453-355-6100): With the departure of Anna Lisa McBride from her post as CEO at Kidz Entertainment/EEMC, the company has promoted KJ Istok to fill the vacated role. Additionally, Slawek Eikert has been named the new country manager for Poland as Kidz/EEMC continues to push into Eastern Europe and Russia.
Playhouse Disney Canada (Toronto, Canada, 416-956-2030): Michael Goldsmith has left his post as director of original content at Canadian animation net Teletoon, but only to walk across the hall at Astral Media and enter the doors of Family Channel and Playhouse Disney Canada as director of original programming. Goldsmith is now overseeing the original series slate at Family and Playhouse Disney Canada, from concept to delivery and broadcast.
His appointment follows the launch of Playhouse Disney Canada in late 2007, and Astral is looking to grow its content base for the nets across multiple platforms. While at Teletoon, a 50/50 venture between Astral and Corus Entertainment, Goldsmith stick-handled the launch of kids series such as Stoked and Majority Rules, and managed the late-night Detour block, which features adult-themed programming. Goldsmith also completed an earlier stint as director of broadcast sales and promotion at Corus Entertainment.
Rainbow (Loreto, Italy, 39-071-7506-7500): As prodco Rainbow moves to expand operations in the UK, it has appointed Lisa Hryniewicz as its British agent to head up business development in the territory. Hryniewicz began her career at Paris-based Salsa Distribution, where she repped The Jim Henson Company, Decode Entertainment, King Rollo and Rainbow, which was then sold to TV-Loonland. She led sales, acquisitions and distribution, as well as working on licensing, production and home entertainment.
Sulake Corporation (Santa Monica, California, 310-395-0404): Looking to further develop its presence in online entertainment, the company behind virtual world Habbo has brought on Mika Salmi as chairman of its board of directors. Salmi recently served as president of global digital media for MTV Networks and Viacom, working across MTVN’s brands, including Nickelodeon. He was also the founder of Atom Entertainment, one of the world’s first online entertainment companies, which was sold to Viacom in 2006.