* Patrice Theroux is the new CEO of Motion Picture Distribution, taking over from Victor Loewy, who is now chairman. Theroux is staying on as president and COO. David Lazaarato and Phyllis Yaffe – both of MPD’s parent Alliance Atlantis Communications – have also joined the board.

* Nelvana has hired Nancy Fowler as its senior VP of worldwide licensing. Fowler is the former president of worldwide consumer products at DIC Entertainment in Burbank, CA.

* Charlotte Hargreaves is the new VP of marketing and consumer products for Europe at Cookie Jar Entertainment, coming over from Sony Pictures Consumer Products. Cookie Jar has also appointed Greg Gilhooly its VP of business and legal affairs.

* Marguerite Pigott, Jesse Wente and Agata Smoluch Del Sorbo are now programmers at the Toronto International Film Festival. Pigott, a former VP at Odeon Films, and Wente, a film critic, join the Canadian features team, while Smoluch Del Sorbo moves up from a consulting spot at Short Cuts Canada.

* The Hot Docs festival has named Alliance Atlantis exec Norm Bolen as co-chair of its board, paired with Michael McMahon and replacing Louise Lore.

* Eric Michel (Miracle Planet, Diameter of the Bomb) is now senior executive producer for documentary development at Montreal’s FRV Media.

* Jim Marshall is the new executive producer of events at TSN, rejoining the channel after a director stint at Fox Sports Net. Shawn Redman has been appointed senior manager of marketing, coming aboard after four years at RBC Financial Group.

* Signy Klein is the new consumer marketing manager for Astral Media’s Family Channel. She is a former brand manager with Buena Vista Home Entertainment. Also, Astral has promoted Maryse Gauthier to consumer marketing manager for The Movie Network.

* Judy Gingell is the news chair of the APTN board of directors. Gingell has served on the board of since 2001.

* Grace Park is now a publicity manager at Global Television, having left a similar post at The Movie Network.