UPI exec Niels Swinkels promoted, adds Focus Features president of international distribution to role

Niels Swinkels, EVP and managing director at Universal Pictures International, (UPI) has been promoted and will add president of international distribution at Focus Features to his role.

Los Angeles-based Swinkels joined Universal in 2004 as marketing director and was appointed vice president of sales & distribution for the EMEA region in 2006, becoming SVP of the region in 2009. He served four years as managing director of the UK & Ireland before he was named EVP international distribution in 2014, and was promoted to his current role in January 2021.

In his new role, announced on Tuesday morning by Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, president of distribution at UPI, Swinkels will continue to work closely with Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski and Focus senior leadership.

Swinkels will continue to report to Vandenberg on all matters related to the strategic direction of UPI’s theatrical distribution and rollout of films across Universal Pictures, Focus Features, and DreamWorks Animation.

Vandenberg said Swinkels had played a “significant role” in helping her build and reshape the UPI team. She added: “In the past few years, Niels has played an essential role on all global releases, partnering with the Focus team to bring alignment to their international slate, amplifying the label’s brand across the international markets and providing guidance on films to greenlight, while also helping to maximise Helen Parker’s Content Group titles across the globe.”

Swinkels stared his career at PolyGram Filmed Entertainment in his native Netherlands, where he served in various roles before he was appointed marketing manager at Universal Pictures Benelux.

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