Coote Named President, CEO of Island Pictures

Greg Coote has been named president and chief executive of Island Pictures. Coote previously was president of worldwide marketing and distribution at Columbia Pictures under David Puttnam, who left Columbia after Coca-Cola Entertainment merged it with Tri-Star and made Victor A. Kaufman head of the combined entity.

Coote has assembled a team, mostly refugees from Columbia, headed by Bob Dingilian, who has been named executive vice president. Dingilian previously was executive vice president of Columbia’s worldwide marketing group. Jane Alsobrook, previously senior vice president-marketing at Columbia, has been appointed president-distribution and marketing. Mark Burg, previously vice president at the Mount Co., has been named president-production. Carol Lipman, previously a story editor at Columbia, has been named director of story and development.

Island’s film credits include “The Harder They Come,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It.”

With the these additions, Island will for the first time handle its own foreign sales. The Columbia alumni handled the marketing of “The Last Emperor,” which won nine Oscars. Island will also set up a television production and sales division.