Jay Sands has been promoted to senior vice president,international operations, for Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International(CTFDI).

Sands, who wasmost recently vice president, international operations, for CTFDI, isresponsible for sales administration of Sony Pictures' internationaltheatrical business. His functions include building worldwide data sharingsystems, creating artificial intelligence to support release planning andmonitoring dating and sales policy execution around the world. He alsocontinues to act as a liaison with executives, producers, agents and tradepress for CTFDI's box office performance.

'Jay's skills and experience arevital to our efforts to run an international business in a centralized fashionout of Los Angeles,' said Mark Zucker, senior executive vice presidentfor CTFDI. 'He's a driving force in developing ways and means to shareideas and information on a global basis. We are thrilled to be able to acknowledge his accomplishments with thiswell deserved promotion, and I look forward to working together to furtherenhance our operating efficiency.'

Sands joinedCTFDI in 2000 following a stint as senior vice president, operations andadministration, for MGM. He began his career in various sales capacities forColumbia Pictures and, from 1989 to 1994, was Columbia's vice president,eastern division manager.