NBC Universal Announces New Global Networks Organization

LONDON, December 18: With its acquisition of Sparrowhawk
Media complete, NBC Universal has announced a new organization for its Global
Networks division in order to support growth for its various brands, including
13th Street and Sci Fi and now the international Hallmark channels.

The NBC Universal international channels portfolio is
managed by Roma Khanna as president of Global Networks and Digital Initiatives.
It includes Sci Fi, 13th Street, Universal Channel, Studio
Universal, the international Hallmark channels, Diva TV, Movies 24 and a stake in
KidsCo.

Francois Roux has been named managing director for EMEA,
overseeing a team that includes Luca Cadura as managing director for Italy,
Carolina Godayol as managing director for Spain and Colin McLeod as managing
director for Central and Eastern Europe. Those positions still need to be
filled for France and Germany. Channel operations in Scandinavia, South Africa
and Benelux will be managed via existing offices. In the U.K., a search will be
conducted for a managing director for all of NBCU’s offerings in that key
market. Meanwhile, Eleanor McBrien continues her role as managing director of
Sci Fi UK.

As reported last week, Raymund Miranda will serve as managing director for Asia, based in
Singapore. And Steve Patscheck is managing director for Latin America.

Sparrowhawk senior executives David Elstein, Alison Cornwell
and Keith Porritt will stay with the company for a brief transition period.

Other key appointments
include Greg Matson as senior VP of business development, managing all channel launches in new territories,
and Paul Newman as VP of technical operations. The newly created roles of VP of programming and VP
of marketing and creative services are yet to be filled.

Khanna is supported by a corporate team based in London that
includes: Kevin Obi as senior VP of digital assets; Oliver Canning as VP of
business and legal affairs; and Alex Bonnor-Moris as VP of human resources. In
addition, Diane Klein has been tapped as CFO of the division.

—By Mansha Daswani