Warner Bros Entertainment has hired key executives to staffits recently launched direct-to-DVD and direct-to-platform production armWarner Premiere.

Irika Slavin has been named senior vice president,marketing; Geoff Shaevitz is vice president, production; Sean Wimmer is vicepresident, post production; Stephanie Schroeder is vice president, businessaffairs and Eva Davis is vice president, acquisitions.

The appointments were announced today by Diane Nelson,president of the Warner Premiere unit, which was founded in Aug this year.

"Starting a new business unit can be daunting, but I couldnot have a better executive team in place for this undertaking," said Nelson ina statement. "Since our operation combines elements of traditionalproduction, distribution and marketing with a new and constantly evolvingbusiness model, we sought executives at the top of their game, with theversatility to break new ground, push the envelope and truly establish WarnerPremiere as the leader in direct-to-DVD and emerging platform space."

The unit will initiailly focus on releases that are sequelsor prequels to existing titles or brands in the Warner Bros library.

Slavin was formerly vice president, global brand management,at the studio, Shaevitz was formerly a production executive at Warner BrosPictures, Wimmer was previously director of feature post production at WarnerBros Pictures, Schroeder was formerly vice president, business and legalaffairs at Paramount Pictures while Davis arrives from Warner Home Video whereshe was vice president, acquisitions and multicultural marketing.