As part of itsongoing drive to consolidate marketing and distribution, Sony PicturesReleasing's (SPR) financial services department is expanding to handleservices including accounts receivable and worldwide collection.

Eileen Lomis,senior vice president of worldwide theatrical financial administration for theColumbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, will oversee the division'sexpansion.

Lomis, a 25-yearveteran of Columbia, TriStar and Sony with extensive experience of credit andcollections, will monitor theatrical collections, set credit extension policiesand standardise reporting and operational procedures throughout the domesticand international territories.

Ellen Mandel hasbeen promoted to vice president of financial administration at SPR and will beresponsible for credit extension and collection operations for the US, Canadaand Puerto Rico.

Mandel joinedSony Pictures 13 years ago, rising to become director of financialadministration at SPR.

She will alsoset departmental policy and guidelines and supervise domestic accountsreceivable, consolidated cash and national box office departments.

In addition,Sarah Burton has been appointed director of financial administration atColumbia TriStar Film Distributors International (CTFDI) and will be based inLondon.

David Hallbecomes manager of financial administration at CTFDI, based in Los Angeles.

Theirresponsibilities include supervising theatrical collection and credit extensionactivity, standardising operations and guidelines and establishing requirementsfor management information system improvements.

Burton supervises Europe, Australia and New Zealand whileHall covers Mexico, Latin America and Asia.

Burtonpreviously served in sales and development at Universal Pictures Internationaland Polygram Film International, where she managed sub-distribution deals andsupervised credit controls and collections.

Hall joins CTFDIfrom financial administration at SPR, where his responsibilities includedmonitoring credit documents and formula co-op collections.

Mandel, Burtonand Hall will all report to Lomis.

'No-one ismore ready for the challenge of leading our worldwide financial servicesdivision than Eileen Lomis and she has earned my trust and respect after many yearsof dedicated service,' Jeff Blake, vice chairman of Sony PicturesEntertainment, said in a statement.

'I amthrilled that she will be joined by such a talented and professional team thatincludes Ellen Mandel, Sarah Burton and David Hall.'