Former TriStarPictures president Valerie Van Galder has been named president of domesticmarketing for the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group following the departureof worldwide marketing chief Geoff Ammer.

Van Galdercommences work immediately on a high-powered slate from the combined pipelineof Columbia, Revolution, TriStar and Sony Pictures Animation that includes TheDaVinci Code, Casino Royale, Spider-Man 3, comedies RV and Click,and thriller Freedomland, among others.

She willcontinue to shepherd Running With Scissors, Silent Hill and Premonition, the three projects she developed onbehalf of TriStar.

Van Galder hasbeen a pivotal member of the studio's marketing team for many years. During hertenure at the company she has overseen creative advertising, publicity andpromotions for all Screen Gems titles, and was also was assigned marketingduties on some of Columbia Pictures recent awards contenders, including Adaptation,Big Fish and Closer.

"Val isrecognised by talent and her peers as one of the savviest and most creativemarketers in the business," Jeff Blake, chairman of marketing anddistribution for the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, said.

"She is agreat talent who consistently delivers extraordinary and innovative campaignson a wide variety of films and we look forward to her fresh perspective andleadership as she oversees what we believe is the best marketing team in thebusiness."

Prior torevitalising the TriStar label, Van Galder served as executive vice presidentof marketing for Screen Gems where her credits include The MothmanProphecies, Snatch and TheBrothers.

Prior to thatshe served as senior vice president of marketing and publicity at FoxSearchlight, and before that she was vice president of marketing and publicityat Hard Rock America.

Sony expects toannounced a new international marketing chief early in the New Year.