Warner Bros. shuffles antipiracy dept.

Studio promotes David P. Kaplan to senior VP

By DIANE GARRETT

Warners has upped its top anti piracy exec and realigned the department to focus on revenue growth in addition to revenue protection.

The studio elevated David P. Kaplan to senior VP and intellectual property counsel for worldwide anti-piracy operations. Kaplan, formerly VP and intellectual property counsel, will be responsible for the studio's anti-piracy strategy and execution on a global basis. He reports to Darcy Antonellis, prexy of Warner Bros. technical operations.

Kaplan, who joined the studio in 1996, was an original member of the antipiracy department when it was created in 2004.

Under the realignment, Lucia Rangel has gained responsibilities for the Asia-Pacific region; she becomes VP of antipiracy operations for Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Sean Mok, who had been overseeing antipiracy in China, will now serve as director for greater China and Southeast Asia. He will report to Rangel.

Studio also has tapped Ethan Applen as director of technology and biz strategy. He will be responsible for evaluating emerging antipiracy technologies as well as those that might provide opportunities for the studio.

And Ben Karakunnel, director of business intelligence, will interpret piracy trends and statistics for various divisions' use in their strategic planning. Previously, he was associate director of research for Fox's home entertainment arm and director of research for the Motion Picture Assn. of America.

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