MUMBAI: New Line Cinema has promoted Christina Kounelias to Executive Vice President of Marketing as announced by New Line’s President of Domestic Marketing, Chris Carlisle, to whom she will report.

“Christina is a consummate professional with skills that go far beyond the publicity domain,” says Carlisle. “With both studio and network experience, she brings a unique perspective to the marketing process. In her new role, Christina’s responsibilities will expand to include strategic marketing, day-to-day management of special task forces designed to take advantage of long range marketing opportunities, and to act as my proxy when necessary. I’m thrilled to have such a smart, savvy, and dynamic executive by my side – her enthusiasm is infectious.”

In the newly created position, Kounelias will work closely with Carlisle to oversee a newly created marketing department infrastructure as well as continuing to oversee the studio’s publicity, corporate communications, and Award campaigns. The move comes on the heels of Hairspray’s summer success and as New Line readies the epic fantasy adventure The Golden Compass for a 7 December release. The studio has a slate of films lined up for 2008 including Semi-Pro and Sex and the City.

A 12-year veteran of the company (1991-1997, 2001-2007), Kounelias has served as New Line’s Executive Vice President of Publicity and Corporate Communications since 2001. During that time, she has overseen the studio’s Los Angeles and New York publicity and promotions staff and launched successful campaigns for such hit films as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Hairspray, Wedding Crashers, Austin Powers in Goldmember, Rush Hour 3, Elf, The Notebook, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and A History of Violence.

Under her leadership, New Line’s PR staff is a two-time winner of PR Week’s Entertainment Campaign of the Year for their work on The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and Wedding Crashers. Kounelias was also was instrumental in the studio’s Academy Award campaign for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King which resulted in an unprecedented 11 Academy Award wins (sweeping every category in which it was nominated) including Best Picture – the first time a fantasy film had ever won the award.

From 1991-1997, Kounelias served as head of New Line’s publicity department and oversaw campaigns for such hit films as Dumb & Dumber, The Mask, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Seven, Friday, and Boogie Nights.

Prior to joining New Line in 2001, Kounelias was the Senior Vice President of Publicity and Corporate Communications for Fox Broadcasting, where she supervised a 30-person staff handling all aspects of entertainment and corporate publicity. During her tenure there, she helped launch hit series such as Malcolm in the Middle, Ally McBeal, That 70’s Show, 24, and many others. Kounelias also previously served as Vice President of Publicity for Miramax Films from 1987-1991, where she started the company’s in-house publicity department.