United Artists Taps Disney’s Rice as Marketing Chief
United Artists has named Disney veteran Dennis Rice as president of worldwide marketing and publicity.
In his new role, Rice will oversee UA’s marketing and publicity campaigns for theatrical and home video releases. He will report to Paula Wagner, UA’s chief executive officer.
Rice is leaving his job as head of film marketing and publicity for Disney for the UA post.
Rice’s hiring is UA’s latest effort to beef up the company. Last week, it named Elliott Kleinberg as chief operating officer. The firm is owned by Wagner, actor Tom Cruise and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
It was unclear when Rice would start in his new post.
Rice joined Disney in 1992 as marketing chief for Buena Vista Home Entertainment before shifting gears as president of marketing and publicity for a division of Universal Pictures. In 1999, he worked as president of marketing at Miramax, a Disney division.
He returned to Disney in 2003 in his recent post as Disney’s marketing and publicity chief. During that time, Rice oversaw marketing campaigns for top films, including Pirates of the Caribbean, The Chronicles of Narnia and Cars.
