Warner Bros executive vice president Richard Fox is relocating to Beijing to drive the studio’s activities in China and oversee its interest in Flagship Entertainment, a joint venture with China Media Capital (CMC).

Fox, who has served as Warner Bros executive vice president, international, since 1992, will move to Beijing in early 2016. The announcement was made today by Warner Bros chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara.

“China represents incredible opportunities for Warner Bros across a variety of businesses,” said Tsujihara. “With his unique background and unmatched experience, Richard will work with Chinese talent and the studio’s partners to provide premium entertainment content for this fast-growing, dynamic market. Richard’s international expertise and acumen are widely recognised and will help us move forward in China in a meaningful way.” 

Warner Bros has a 49% share in Flagship Entertainment, which will produce Chinese-language films, including global tentpoles, with its first release planned for early 2016. As part of his Flagship responsibilities, Fox will work with Warner Bros executives to distribute Flagship titles outside of China. 

Warner Bros’ business activities in China also include being a partner in Tencent’s SVOD platform Hollywood VIP, licensing TV content and operating DC Comics stores and a video games business. State-owned China Film Group imports Warner Bros titles through the revenue-sharing quota in China – releases in 2015 have included The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies, Jupiter Ascending, San Andreas and Pan.

  • Reg Harpur, evp of operations and planning, will assume greater oversight and responsibilities for the studio’s international operations. Harpur will assume day-to-day oversight of the company’s Amsterdam regional distribution hub and the country managers, the cross-divisional executives who oversee Warner Bros’ businesses in key international territories, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Japan. Country Managers who previously reported jointly to chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara and Fox will now report to Tsujihara and Harpur. Fox will work with Tsujihara and Harpur to recruit and hire a country manager in China.

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