Alan Keith new CFO for Laika

Animation unit nabs new business chief

By BEN FRITZ

Indie animation house Laika has tapped former Lucasfilm and Hanna-Barbera exec Alan Keith as its new chief financial officer and veep business operations.

Artist Travis Knight has also been promoted to VP of animation.

Keith will oversee the expansion of Portland, Ore.-based Laika's business operations as it grows its slate of features, TV commercials, and other projects. He was most recently corporate finance director at biotech firm Genentech. Before that he was VP of administration at Lucasfilm and VP business operations at Hanna-Barbera.

Knight, the son of Laika owner and Nike co-founder Phil Knight, was already head of animation for the company. He will now be more involved in business operations as he continues to work as a lead animator on "Coraline," Laika's first film, which will be released by Focus Features next year.