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ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide has today announced the creation of two senior executive roles in the US in order to focus and grow its sales & co-production and children’s activity.

As a result, Matt Forde will relocate from London to join ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide's New York-based Sales & Distribution team as EVP Sales & Co-Pros.

Working to Steve Macallister, MD ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide Sales & Distribution and Garth Ancier, President ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide, America, Forde will spearhead sales and co-production activity across all genres in the U.S. and Latin America.

Steve Macallister, Managing Director ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide Sales & Distribution, said: "Matt's unique combination of sales experience, sharp business skills and encyclopaedic knowledge of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ make him the ideal candidate for this key role and helps us to further support building the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ in the US."

Forde is currently Director of Content Acquisitions, responsible for defining the strategy and commercial viability of all ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide's investments in ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ programming, ensuring the best commercial deals for the business.

He was previously Head of Commercial Development, Independents, working with key UK drama and comedy independent production houses to secure international television, DVD and new media rights for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide. Prior to that, Forde ran ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide's Global TV Sales business in Scandinavia and Benelux.

Susanna Pollack, becomes SVP Children's and Children's Business Development, responsible for growing ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide's children's brands in North and South America. She will also spearhead the effort to launch an English language CBeebies channel in the US.

Neil Ross Russell, Managing Director ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide Children's, said: "We have ambitious and exciting plans for our Children’s business in the U.S., and we're lucky to benefit from the experience and passion Susanna brings to the table."

Forde will move to New York with his wife and two children in July.

Chris Charlton