THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY has completed the next stage in the development of
its international organization for Europe by naming six Disney veterans to
country management roles. The six executives will all become managing
director of six country groupings. CLAUS GYDESEN, 39, has been appointed
managing director for Germany, Austria and Switzerland and will continue to
be based in Munich. As head of Disney's video operations in these markets,
Gydesen established a direct-to-retailer operation that helped make Buena
Vista Home Entertainment consistently the number one video distributor for
Germany. PHILIPPE LACO, 44, has been appointed managing director for France
and Benelux and will continue to be based in Paris. Formerly vice president
and general manager of The Disney Channel France since 1996, Laco has
spearheaded original production, programming, marketing and distribution
roll-out of the award-winning French television service which is number one
with kids in cable and satellite households. UMBERTO VIRRI, 58, has been
appointed managing director for Italy and Greece, continuing to be based in
Milan. Virri has served as president of Disney Consumer Products Italy
since 1990, overseeing all merchandise, publishing and interactive activity
for Disney, including a portfolio of more than 30 magazine titles. LASZLO
HUBAY CEBRIAN, 53, has been appointed managing director for Spain and
Portugal. Hubay Cebrian, a 20-year Disney veteran, opened Disney's first
offices in Portugal in 1980 and has managed Disney Consumer Products
operations in Spain, Portugal and Germany, as well as overseeing television
and theme park marketing operations in Spain in prior years. STUART
WARRENER, 48, has been appointed managing director for Central and Eastern
Europe, the Middle East and Africa. With Warrener as president, Buena Vista
Home Entertainment grew twenty-fold and established market leading
distribution and marketing operations throughout Europe, Africa and the
Middle East. MATS CANEMAN, 49, has been appointed managing director for the
Nordic Region and continues as vice president and general manager of Buena
Vista Home Entertainment Nordic, based in Stockholm. Caneman has worked for
Disney since 1991 and under his management BVHE has been the market leader
for six years. Prior to joining Disney, Caneman was general manager of
Hemfilms/Egmont Film and sales manager for Sony for the introduction of the
Sony Walkman to Scandinavia.