Emilie Anthonis will replace Stan McCoy as the new president and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions, the MPA said Monday.
Anthonis will take over on January 1, 2025. McCoy will step down after leading the MPA in the region for more than a decade.
“I am proud to pass the baton after an exciting decade at the helm of what is arguably the EMEA region's most accomplished trade association in public policy, anti-piracy and all other fields of expertise,” said McCoy in a note.
“I look forward to serving MPA members in this new capacity, while continuing the spirit of teamwork that Stan has inspired across our EMEA MPA operations,” said Anthonis. “Europe is a key market for MPA members and they have a long history of storytelling and partnerships in the region.”
Before joining the MPA in 2017, Anthonis was director of legal and public affairs at the Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT). His career also includes a stint as in-house counsel at Viacom and a job as a lawyer specializing in copyright and media law at a Brussels law firm.
Charles Rivkin, president and CEO of the MPA, expressed confidence in Anthonis' appointment, citing her extensive experience in the European audiovisual sector and her reputation as a champion of the creative industry.
“Emilie is a veteran of the MPA and the European audiovisual sector, and has earned a solid reputation as a powerful advocate for the creative industry, an expert in decision-making, a respected voice in European capitals and a leader of integrity,” said Rivkin, “[she is] ready to take the reins of our operations and serve as an effective voice for our industry in this region, and I have full confidence in her ability to continue to advance the MPA's priorities, leading our policy commitments and accompanying the partnerships of our member studies with interested parties. “
Based in Brussels, Anthonis will report to Gail MacKinnon, senior executive vice president of global policy and government affairs. In his new position, Anthonis will be responsible for advancing the MPA's priorities, driving policy commitments and promoting partnerships between member firms and stakeholders across Europe and beyond.
The MPA lobbies lawmakers on behalf of its member studios: Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Walt Disney Studios, Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery.