Seekingto bolster its local language activities, particularly in growth areas likeRussia and India, Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group (CTMPG) has named PeterIacono senior executive vice president of local language productions.

Iacono (pictured) will report directly to and work alongside CTMPG vice chairman Gareth Wigan onthe local language slate, which to date has generated 30 productions.

Thestudio recently announced a co-production deal with Patton Media in Russia, andwill begin shooting its first Mexican local language production, CharmSchool, next month.

SonyPictures recently announced its first Indian co-production, Saawariya, to be directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Iaconohas served for the past six years as executive vice president of distributionfor Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI).

Priorto that he was senior vice president of sales strategy and planning and joinedSPTI in 1993 as director of pay television, rising a year later to vicepresident of international pay television.

Beforejoining the Sony fold Iacono served as a strategic management executive atWarner Bros.