MUMBAI: The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has announced a new structure and leadership for its worldwide government affairs operations.

Greg Frazier has been promoted to executive vice president for Worldwide Government Policy and Michael O’Leary has been promoted to senior vice president and chief counsel for Federal Affairs and Policy. Rounding out the government affairs leadership group is MPAA veteran Vans Stevenson, who will continue in his role as senior vice president for State Government Affairs. Anissa Whitten, who has served the MPAA as trade director since 2005, has been promoted to vice president for International Affairs and Trade Policy. O’Leary, Stevenson and Whitten all will report directly to Frazier.

Daphna Peled, a top aide to US senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), will join the MPAA in June as vice president and senior counsel for Federal Affairs and Policy and MPAA executive Todd Flournoy makes the transition to vice president and senior counsel for Federal Affairs and Policy from his previous position handling state government affairs. Both Peled and Flournoy will report to O’Leary. The team is rounded out by veteran MPAA executive Fritz Attaway, who serves as executive vice president and Special Policy Advisor on government affairs issues.

Frazier has served as the MPAA’s senior vice president for Trade Policy and International Affairs since 2004. During his tenure, Frazier was instrumental in establishing and implementing the Association’s trade agenda, working with Congressional and Administration officials to prioritise intellectual property issues during government trade negotiations.

Most recently, Frazier assisted officials from the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) in their efforts to file a formal WTO case against China for China’s lack of market access and intellectual property enforcement.