Lorenzo Soriahas been elected president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA)for 2003-04.

Soria has been amember for 14 years and writes for Italian daily newspaper La Stampa and weeklynews magazine L'Espresso.

He will presideover the HFPA's 61st Golden Globe Awards, which will take place in Los Angeleson Jan 25 2004.

The new datecomes two days before the Oscar nominations are announced on Jan 27 and is regardedas an influential slot.

Following theorganisation's annual election meeting Lawrie Masterson was re-elected vicepresident while Philip Berk and Munawar Hosain become treasurer and executivesecretary respectively.

The new board ofdirectors comprises Dagmar Dunlevy (chairman), Elmar Biebl, Yani Begakis, JeanCummings, Mira Panajotovic and Marlene Von Arx (alternate).