WME | IMG China announced the additions of entertainment veteran RICK YAN, film finance agent JOE AUSTIN, live entertainment exec DAVID HE, and basketball marketing veteran BRUCE LI. Yan, a 22-year entertainment veteran who spent the past six years with Paramount Pictures, will lead WME | IMG China’s film and TV entertainment efforts, bridging the Chinese demand for premium entertainment content with Hollywood’s interest in globalizing its production and distribution.
Joining Yan is Austin, who spent the past eight years at WME in its global film and TV finance and distribution department, and will now focus on the Chinese market. He also joins WME | IMG China to oversee its live entertainment division. He’s responsible for organizing and executing some of China’s most iconic cultural moments across music and sports, including: Echo Park and Concrete & Grass music festivals; concerts from leading artists like JUSTIN BIEBER and BRUNO MARS; and the NBA China Games. Li, a 12-year Nike marketing exec, also joins to spearhead WME | IMG’s professional and amateur basketball strategy in China, while supporting its continued growth in sports like tennis, football, and golf (WME | IMG).
TAKING THE REINS: KATE PALMER "will become the first woman to run Australia's peak sports agency, the Australian Sports Commission." Palmer formerly served as CEO of Netball Australia and chair of the Victorian Institute of Sport. Her appointment for three years "represents a further, significant step in the influence of women in Australian sport" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 12/14). ... French National Rugby Refereeing Technical Dir JOËL DUMÉ on Wednesday will be named president of French Rugby’s Central Refereeing Commission (CCA), replacing DIDIER MÉNÉ. Méné had been president since ’09 (L’ÉQUIPE, 12/13). ... JONATHAN CASBON has joined tech firm Monterosa as head of sport development. Casbon will work with Sport Dir BEN BARKER. Casbon started his career with Football DataCo, and most recently helped the English Football League deliver increased commercial revenues (Monterosa). ... TOMAS ERIKSSON has been re-elected as the president of the Int’l Floorball Federation at the governing body's annual General Assembly. So far during his presidency, Eriksson has worked to get floorball on the int’l map (INSIDE THE GAMES, 12/12). ... New Zealand Rugby Union's Maori board member WAYNE PETERS retired "following a bout of ill health." A lawyer, Peters joined the NZR board in ‘09 -- making him the longest-serving member in the current setup. He was the chair of the Northland Union from ‘06 to ‘08, and served as a director of the Blues franchise over the same period (NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 12/13). ... Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Exec VP & CMO TOM PHILAND is no longer employed with the company (THE DAILY). ... Canadian Football League Winnipeg Blue Bombers GM KYLE WALTERS signed a three-year contract extension. The deal will "keep him at the helm" through '20 (CP, 12/9). ... Former Australia football coach PIM VERBEEK has been confirmed as the new coach of the Oman national team. The Dutchman -- who managed Australia at the 2010 World Cup -- succeeds Spaniard JUAN RAMON LOPEZ CARO, who quit last month. It marks a return to Asian football for Verbeek, who previously coached South Korea and was an assistant to GUUS HIDDINK and DICK ADVOCAAT “before succeeding the latter for that country's top job” (AAP, 12/13).
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