Walt Disney Television International promoted Michael Kreissl from managing director of Disney Channel Germany to vp, programming and production of WDTV-I, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Kreisel will continue his position with the German channel and will oversee planning of the programming schedules and production for eight Disney channels (France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Scandinavia, U.K. and Middle East) in addition to 42 Disney branded blocks across 32 countries. Kreissl reports to John Hardie, svp and managing director of Walt Disney Branded TV, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Kreissl recently launched two new weekly Disney branded shows on German terrestrial television, “which are proving to be similarly popular with viewers,” according to Hardie. “This new role will allow our existing services, which now broadcast more than 150,000 hours of programming a year, to benefit from Michael’s ability to develop good programming ideas for the advantage of our entire broadcast network.”

Kreissl, a 20-year TV vet from Austria, was a programming director at German music channel Viva and head of youth programming at Austria’s public net ORF. He joined Disney in 1999 to launch the German channel and became managing director a year later.

WDTV-I has launched is responsible for all of the Walt Disney Co. free and pay TV activities outside the U.S. Since 1995, WDTV-I has launched 22 channels seen in 63 countries.