Willi Geike has been promoted to president and managing director of Warner Bros Entertainment Germany and Austria.

In his expanded role the 24-year company veteran will assume general oversight of all the studio's businesses in the two German-speaking territories.

The remit covers theatrical and home video production, marketing and distribution, television distribution, consumer products, and online and emerging distribution technologies, with in-country divisional management now jointly reporting to him and divisional presidents or designates.

The Hamburg-based Geike's overall reporting is through Warner Bros' executive vice president of international Richard Fox to chairman and chief executive officer Barry Meyer and president and chief operating officer Alan Horn. He will also report to divisional presidents regarding their specific businesses.

'Over the last few years, we've been implementing the country manager structure in key territories around the world and when we looked at Germany, Willi, who has been our de facto country manager for sometime now, was the only executive we considered,' Meyer said.

'In his two decades with the company, he has developed incredible knowledge and expertise in the German and Austrian film and home video markets and is a major part of our company's in-territory success in those businesses.'

'Willi's reputation and relationships in the German and Austrian film and video arenas are unmatched,' Horn said. 'This new post will more broadly utilise his abilities and help us better coordinate and maximize all of our in-territory business initiatives in Germany and Austria.'

Geike previously served as senior vice president and managing director for Warner Bros Pictures Germany and Warner Home Video, Germany & Austria.

Prior to his association with Warner Bros he held marketing positions at United Artists and UIP Germany.