Bryan Hickel has been namedpresident of production at Gale Anne Hurd's Valhalla Motion Pictures, effectiveimmediately.

Hickel will overseeacquisitions and development of all company projects including Valhalla'scurrent project, Marvel

Comic's The Punisher,set to be released in the US through Lions Gate on April 16 and internationallyby Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International.

He will work on alltheatrical projects and report directly to Gale Anne Hurd.

"I'm thrilled to have anexecutive at Valhalla with Bryan's studio experience as well as outstandingrelationships with the creative

community," Hurd said in astatement. "He brings expertise on so many levels and will be a great asset inmoving forward with Valhalla's development and production slate."

Hickel most recently servedas senior vice president at Adam Schroeder Entertainment, where his creditsincluded The Fraud Prince, Kleopatra and Clash Of The Titans. Priorto that he served as vice president of production at New Line.

Valhalla Motion Pictures'credits include Hulk, Armageddon, Terminator 3: Rise Of TheMachines and the upcoming sci-fi title Aeon Flux for Paramount/ MTVand Lakeshore, which will be directed by Karyn Kusama for a 2005 release.