Disney-ABC-ESPN Names Regional VP of Channel Distribution

LONDON, December 17: As Disney-ABC-ESPN
Television's VP of channel distribution for EMEA (South), Kakhaber Abashidze
will lead a team in charge of Southern Europe, Central and Eastern Europe,
Russia, CIS countries and the Middle East and Africa.

Abashidze will work to
maximize the revenue of Disney's kids and family television channels, including
Disney Channel, Disney Cinemagic, Playhouse Disney and Jetix. He will work
closely with the EMEA program and new-media distribution teams to serve the
needs of all existing and new clients within this EMEA sub-region. Abashidze will
report to Simon Amselem, the senior VP of channel and sports distribution for
EMEA.

Joining from Fox
International Channels, Abashidze managed Fox channels' expansion in emerging
markets such as Russia, the Baltic States, Ukraine, Belarus and Central Asia.

Amselem commented:
"Kakha brings to this role great commercial experience in channel
distribution, and broad knowledge and relationships in key growth markets.
We're pleased to welcome him to the channel distribution team, where his
expertise will both benefit our clients and our operations."

Abashidze said: "I'm
excited to start this role, where I'll be working with the leading kids and
family channel brands in the world, across some of the potentially highest
growth markets in the EMEA region."

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski