Peter Taylor has rejoined Sony Pictures Releasing International(SPRI) as managing director of the UK Office.

Taylor will report to Paul Smith, president of worldwideoperations at Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, and assumes the dutiesheld by Richard Napper, who is leaving after seven years to pursue fresh challenges.

Taylor most recently served at Warner Bros Pictures UK as managingdirector of the UK and Ireland.

He joined Columbia as a sales executive in 1982 and climbed to assistantdirector of sales followed by director of sales, a post he held from 1990 to1999 before being named director of distribution. He left the company in 2004.

"We are tremendously excited to have Peter back with us atSony," Smith said. "He brings a wide range of experience and afamiliarity not only with our team but with the UK industry overall. He is the idealcandidate to lead our team and take over from Richard Napper, whose talents wewill greatly miss."