Former Madstone Films and New Yorker Films executive Susan Wrubelhas joined US charitable foundation The Global Film Initiative as head ofacquisitions and programmes.

In the newly created role Wrubel will be responsible foracquisitions, contract negotiations, grants, international marketrepresentation, distribution strategy, marketing and publicity.

Noah Cowan, the Initiative's former executive director, willrelinquish day-to-day control and steps up to the board of directors, where hewill focus on marketing strategy and programme development.

"The Global Film Initiative is now a fully-formed entity ready toreshape America's relationship with the developing world and its culture offilm," Cowan said in a joint statement with chairwoman Susan Weeks Coulter.

"It is with much happiness that I pass the baton to Susan Wrubel.Her drive, experience, energy, and taste make her an ideal representative forThe Global Film Initiative."

Wrubel served as vice president of acquisitions at Madstone Filmsfrom 1996-2000.

Before that she was vice president of theatrical distribution andacquisitions at New Yorker Films (now under Madstone's ownership), where shehandled titles including The Wind Will Carry Us, La Promesse and My Best Fiend.

The Global Film Initiative was launched earlier this yearto promote cross-cultural understanding through cinema and recently completedits inaugural 2003/04 slate of nine films, which will each get US distribution.

The slate comprises Djamshed Usmonov's Angel On The Right (Tajikstan); Joel Lamangan's WretchedLives (Philippines);Yamina Bachir-Chouikh's Rachida (Algeria); Juan Carlos Cremata Malberti's Nothing (Cuba); Rashid Masharawi's Ticket ToJerusalem (Palestine);Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Shadow Kill (India); Jilani Saadi's Khorma (Tunisia); Renato Falcao's Margarette'sFeast (Brazil); andManijeh Hekmat's Women's Prison (Iran).