Weeks after leaving his post as president of theatrical at FoxInternational, Scott Neeson has joined Columbia TriStar Film DistributorsInternational (CTFDI) as senior executive vice president of marketing.

Neeson will start work on Sept 8, when he will set aboutdevising overseas marketing strategies on upcoming Columbia Pictures andRevolution Studios' films including Spider-Man 2, Hellboy, PeterPan, Bad Boys 2, S.W.A.T., Once Upon a Time in Mexico,Gothika, and Envy.

He will work closely with Mark Zucker, CTFDI's seniorexecutive vice president of distribution, and report directly to GeoffreyAmmer, president of worldwide marketing for Columbia TriStar Motion PictureGroup.

Neeson is highly regarded as a global marketing strategist andengineered the day-and-date worldwide release of X2 earlier this year, as well as campaignsfor Titanic, DieAnother Day and IceAge.

He served for 14 years at Twentieth Century Fox, startingas general manager of the studio's joint venture Hoyts Fox Columbia TriStarFilms in his native Australia in 1989.

In 1993, he was promoted to vice president of internationalmarketing at the studio's Los Angeles headquarters and eventually becamepresident of the division in 2000.

"As a global marketing strategist, Scott is second to no-one andhe is the perfect choice to be a member of this team," Ammer said in astatement.

"He is respected by his peers and by film-makers for his hands-onapproach and collaboration delivering campaigns tailored to each territory.

"Scott was instrumental in launching four of the industry's topfive international box office hits and his track record speaks for itself."

Nesson's arrival comes amid rumours about the departure of Nigel Clark,CTFDI's senior executive vice president of international marketing. A spokesmanfor CTFDI refused to comment.