Niels Swinkels has been promoted to president of international distribution at Focus Features. He was previously EVP and managing director.
In his new position, Swinkels will continue to work closely with Focus Features’ Chairman Peter Kujawski, and the Focus senior leadership team to further the indie’s position in the theatrical marketplace. Swinkels will continue to report to the strategic direction of Universal Pictures International’s theatrical distribution and rollout of films across Universal Pictures, Focus Features and DreamWorks Animation.
“Over the past few years, Niels has played an essential role on all global releases, partnering with the Focus team to bring alignment to their international slate, amplifying the label’s brand across the international markets and providing guidance on films to greenlight, while also helping to maximize Helen Parker’s Content Group titles across the globe,” Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of Distribution for Universal Pictures International, wrote in a memo. “We are grateful to have a leader such as Niels, whose collaborative spirit, extensive knowledge of the international markets and deep industry relationships will continue to be invaluable in giving our collective film slate the best opportunities to succeed internationally.”
Swinkels began his career with Universal as a marketing director in 2004, and was appointed Vice President of Sales & Distribution for the EMEA region in 2006. He was promoted to Senior Vice President of the same region in 2009, and then spent four years as Managing Director of the UK and Ireland before being promoted to EVP International Distribution in 2014.
Swinkels started off at Gram Filmed Entertainment in the Netherlands, where he served in various roles before beginning his role as the marketing manager at Universal Pictures Benelux. From 2000 to 2004, he was managing director of Independent Films Netherlands.
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