The Irish Film Board has announced the appointment of Mr Mark Woods as its new chief executive.
Mr Woods, who will take up his position at the beginning of October, is a 32-year-old expatriate Irishman who has been based in Sydney, Australia, for the past 12 years. He replaces Rod Stoneman, the board's outgoing CEO, who departs today to take up a new post as director of the Huston School of Film and Digital Media in NUI Galway. Mr Stoneman has been CEO since 1993.
The board provides loans and equity investment to independent Irish film-makers to assist in the development and production of Irish films. It acts in co-operation with other Irish semi-State agencies to improve the marketing, sales and distribution of Irish films and to promote training and development. It is also responsible for promoting Ireland as a film location.
It has a capital budget of around €9.2 million for 2003, under the aegis of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.
During Mr Stoneman's 10-year tenure, the board has supported 100 feature films and television series, 300 short dramas, documentaries and animation, and provided development funding to over 500 feature film projects.
Mr Woods joins the board from Australia's Premium Movie Partnership, where he was head of acquisitions and investment for the company's Showtime and Encore film channels. PMP is one of Australia's largest private supporters of feature films and Mr Woods was involved in co-financing almost 30 local feature films. Before that, he was a correspondent in Australia for Variety magazine for six years. He has also contributed as a journalist to other industry titles, including Moving Pictures, Media Day and TV Week.
