THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY has completed the next stage in the development ofits international organization for Europe by naming six Disney veterans tocountry management roles. The six executives will all become managingdirector of six country groupings. CLAUS GYDESEN, 39, has been appointedmanaging director for Germany, Austria and Switzerland and will continue tobe based in Munich. As head of Disney's video operations in these markets,Gydesen established a direct-to-retailer operation that helped make BuenaVista Home Entertainment consistently the number one video distributor forGermany. PHILIPPE LACO, 44, has been appointed managing director for Franceand Benelux and will continue to be based in Paris. Formerly vice presidentand general manager of The Disney Channel France since 1996, Laco hasspearheaded original production, programming, marketing and distributionroll-out of the award-winning French television service which is number onewith kids in cable and satellite households. UMBERTO VIRRI, 58, has beenappointed managing director for Italy and Greece, continuing to be based inMilan. Virri has served as president of Disney Consumer Products Italysince 1990, overseeing all merchandise, publishing and interactive activityfor Disney, including a portfolio of more than 30 magazine titles. LASZLOHUBAY CEBRIAN, 53, has been appointed managing director for Spain andPortugal. Hubay Cebrian, a 20-year Disney veteran, opened Disney's firstoffices in Portugal in 1980 and has managed Disney Consumer Productsoperations in Spain, Portugal and Germany, as well as overseeing televisionand theme park marketing operations in Spain in prior years. STUARTWARRENER, 48, has been appointed managing director for Central and EasternEurope, the Middle East and Africa. With Warrener as president, Buena VistaHome Entertainment grew twenty-fold and established market leadingdistribution and marketing operations throughout Europe, Africa and theMiddle East. MATS CANEMAN, 49, has been appointed managing director for theNordic Region and continues as vice president and general manager of BuenaVista Home Entertainment Nordic, based in Stockholm. Caneman has worked forDisney since 1991 and under his management BVHE has been the market leaderfor six years. Prior to joining Disney, Caneman was general manager ofHemfilms/Egmont Film and sales manager for Sony for the introduction of theSony Walkman to Scandinavia.
