Hollywood Suite has promoted Sharon Stevens and Julie Kumaria to the roles of VP, programming and SVP, marketing and content distribution, respectively.

Stevens, who previously held the role of director of programming, has been with Hollywood Suite since 2017, leading the film-focused programming team. Before joining the specialty network, she headed up programming at several of Blue Ant Media’s Canadian channels.

Kumaria has been with Hollywood Suite since 2013, joining initially as senior director of marketing before being promoted to VP, marketing and content distribution in 2015. She has previously held positions at Astral Networks, Insight Sports and Shaftesbury Films.

Both Stevens and Kumaria will continue to report to Hollywood Suite president David Kines.

Elsewhere, Eileen Gaudet was promoted to manager, VOD and traffic in December.

The promotions come as Hollywood Suite begins to dip its toe into the premium-TV space. In November, it acquired the 10-part Israeli war drama Valley of Tears, which represents the biggest acquisition to date for the nine-year-old independent network. At the time, Kines said that the volume of premium TV drama being produced internationally is creating new opportunities for smaller players in the Canadian marketplace.

Pictured (left to right): Julie Kumaria and Sharon Stevens