Christian Grass (pictured) has beenpromoted to Fox International's executive vice president of Europe, Middle Eastand Africa, effective immediately.

Grass will continue tooversee the theatrical distribution, sales and marketing operations for all FoxFilmed Entertainment pictures in Europe as well as European co-productions andacquisitions as part of the distributor's ongoing strategy to partner up onlocal language films around the world.

"Christian has demonstratedtime and again his strong leadership abilities and keen sense of judgment," FoxInternational president Stephen Moore said in a statement.

"His enormous marketingtalent and business acumen are reflected in Fox's recent successes in Europeranging from the sleeper hit 28 Days Later to the summer blockbuster X2.

"This well-deservedpromotion recognises Christian's invaluable contributions to Fox International.We are thrilled that he will now be bringing his excellent instinct andexpertise to our European co-productions and acquisitions initiative as well."

Grass joined the distributorin February 1996 as vice president of marketing for Europe, the Middle East andAfrica and was promoted three years later to senior vice president of Europe,Middle East and Africa, taking over the theatrical supervisory role for theregion.

He was responsible for theoverall European distribution and marketing on such pictures as X-Men, DieAnother Day, Star Wars: Episodes Iand II, Ice Age, Minority Report and Master And Commander: The Far Side Of TheWorld, among others.

Prior to joining Fox, Grassserved as vice president of international marketing for Miramax Internationaland also served at CineVox Entertainment, where he was vice president of worldwidemarketing and distribution.