(8 May 2006 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Universal Studios has announced that its consumer products group has created a dedicated division designed to capitalise on the rapidly growing world of mobile entertainment.

The new division, Universal Mobile Entertainment, will be run from a day to day perspective by Universal veteran Jeremy Laws who has been promoted to senior vice president.

Under the newly minted division, Laws will oversee all aspects of licensing and promotions in the wireless arena as well as actively pursue and manage licenses from creation to consumption. He will lead a team of sales executives based around the world including the major media markets like
Los Angeles, London and Tokyo.

Laws says, "My goal, and that of my team, will be to ensure that fans of Universal's films and television programmes will have easy access to a broad range of compelling, high quality
mobile content on their handsets."

Universal Studios adds that it has been aggressive in the mobile content licensing market since 2000 and currently has more than 60 deals worldwide with premiere partners such as I-play, Gameloft, Buongiorno-Vitaminic, Ojom, Indiagames, Player X, (M)Forma and Starwave Mobile.

Universal expects to see continued, substantial revenue growth in this space during 2006 as it launches 30 games and a comprehensive range of graphics, video clips and voice ringers on all major carriers across the globe from Universal's
current and library film and television assets.

Laws joined Universal Studios Consumer Products Group as executive director in 1999. He has since spearheaded all aspects of licensing in the areas of wireless, broadcast film clips, stills and advertising and has overseen all aspects of Universal's licensed location-based entertainment attractions worldwide. Laws pioneered an end-to-end online solution for film clip licensing and tripled the revenue of that business.