Independant French film veteran Pascal Rogard has been named managing director of France's writers' union, the Societe des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (SACD). Rogard will take up the post on January 1, 2004 after the departure of current chief Olivier Carmet.

Rogard is currently head of the union of French film producers and exporters, a position he has held for twenty years. He will leave that title behind as well as that of general manager of the association of writers, directors and producers (ARP) which he has run since its launch.

Rogard told Screen Daily he was pleased at the new appointment and that despite having to leave his other two posts he will continue to work with the groups in order to continue to defend French creativity. "It's a bit sad but people are happy that I'm staying in the same universe. For example the director members of ARP would not have been as happy if I took a job at a television network" he quipped.

Indeed, with the SACD Rogard will continue to work to the benefit of local film but also theatre and music. "It's sort of the same thing but with a much larger scope" he said.

The SACD also elected a new president, Christine Miller and vice-president Louise Doutreligne. At ARP it is likely that the current general secretary Michel Gomez will succeed Rogard.