Columbia TriStar Reorganizes

30 Apr, 2001 By: Thomas K. Arnold

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Six months after its president, Benjamin S. Feingold, was elevated to the presidency of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, the studio’s home video division has realigned its top management team andcreated a worldwide marketing group.

As senior executive v.p. and general manager of Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, Robin Russell assumes control of worldwide administrationand day-to-day operations. She had been executive v.p. and will continue to oversee business and legal affairs.

Russell is a lawyer who previously held senior positions in the motionpicture business affairs departments at the Walt Disney Co. and ColumbiaPictures. She will continue to report to Feingold, who retains the title of president. The two will work together to determine the division’s global strategic business direction.

Also reporting to Feingold will be Lexine Wong, upped to executive v.p. of worldwide marketing, and Marshall Forster, promoted to executivev.p., North America.

Wong had been senior v.p. of international marketing. In her new role, she will supervise domestic as well as international marketing. She also will manage the Worldwide DVD Programming, Content and Menu ProductionGroup.

Forster, previously senior v.p. of sales, North America, will continue to oversee the sales department while spearheading retail marketinginitiatives — and, with Wong, formulating marketing strategies — forsellthrough and rental.

Feingold says the reason for the reorganization is to “solidify management and make it clear that no one’s coming in as president of thecompany. I have the team and the organizational structure to carry us forward.”

The trend toward releasing DVDs day-and-date throughout the world is what prompted the formation of a worldwide marketing department underWong, Feingold adds.

Wong says DVD, in particular, has driven the domestic andinternational sides closer together. “I think although DVD is only a piece of our business, it’s become a significant piece, and it’s aglobal product,” Wong says. Key items on her agenda include stepping upworldwide day-and-date release patterns, developing global promotions for video product, “and making sure DVD product is the right product for the evolving marketplace.”

“The home entertainment business is becoming increasingly global, and here at Columbia TriStar we are striving for a big picture view of the industry,” Forster says.

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