Bret Johnson has been promoted to Universal's executive vice president of physical production.

Johnson will continue his collaboration with film-makers on all aspects of physical production including budgeting, scheduling, hiring crews, and managing the productions day-to-day.

'Bret has supervised many of our biggest and most complicated films and always goes the extra mile to address film-maker needs and find creative solutions despite some very challenging situations,' president of physical production James D Brubaker, to whom Johnson will continue to report, said.

Johnson began his tenure at Universal in September 1988, when he joined the motion picture group as production controller.

He has supervised physical production on Inside Man, Evan Almighty, The Kingdom, American Gangster, Charlie Wilson's War and the upcoming Frost/Nixon, Mummy 3 - Curse Of The Dragon, and The Changeling.

Prior to joining Universal Pictures, Johnson worked at Paramount Pictures for four years, primarily in network television production.