John Cacavas has been promoted to vice president, worldwide distribution analysis, for Columbia Pictures. He reports to Paul Smith, executive vice president, worldwide marketing and distribution, for Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group.

He will focus on analysing the worldwide motion picture industry, in particular how the company's different film genres perform during key holiday and vacation time frames. He will also develop systems to monitor the global film distribution business for the company.

He joined Columbia in 1993 as a distribution analyst after working in project development at Embassy Television. In 1994, he was promoted to manager, distribution services for Sony Pictures Releasing, in 1996 he was promoted to director, distribution analysis for Sony Pictures Releasing and in 1999, he became executive director.