MUMBAI: FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW) has appointed Dominic Burns as vice president of licensing for the UK market.

Burns will be responsible for managing the brand licensing, sponsorship and interactive businesses in the UK. In addition to this, he will maximise the value of FremantleMedia's portfolio of rights and sponsorship opportunities and the exploitation of new commercial opportunities.

He will be based in London and will report to FLW senior vice president, licensing, UK and Germany Claire Tavernier. Burns replaces Dom Wheeler, who leaves FremantleMedia this month after six years with the company.

Tavernier said, "Dominic has made a significant contribution to the growth of our sponsorship business in establishing global relationships with major advertisers such as Coca Cola, Nokia and Unilever. His leadership qualities, experience and relationships will be a great asset to our UK business."

Commenting on Wheeler's departure Tavernier added, "Dom was one of the very first members of the FLW team and has contributed immensely to its success. We wish him every success for the future."

Burns joined FremantleMedia in 2003 as vice president, sponsorship and advertiser relationships, where he managed all worldwide agreements with advertisers and sponsors. Prior to this, he was head of commercial strategy for Eurosport TV where he was responsible for setting the commercial programming focus of the channel and providing support to the international sales team.

Further to this appointment, Melissa Goodwin, currently vice president, licensing, EMEA, will be moving to the UK team as vice president, interactive and telephony, UK. In this position, Goodwin will assume day-to-day responsibility for the company's interactive and telephony business, including voting on The X Factor, home viewer competitions across all of FremantleMedia's entertainment formats, the commercialisation of the company's websites and the development of mobile content and games around FremantleMedia and talkbackThames' extensive TV properties in the UK.

Also, Pindy O'Brien, currently head of brand licensing, UK, becomes head of brand licensing and retail, UK. The position will see O'Brien expand her role to take on the company's relationships with the retail sector as well as continuing her work in the area of brand licenses around FremantleMedia and talkbackThames' UK portfolio.

Both Goodwin and O'Brien will be based in London and will report to Burns.

Claire Baker, currently head of retail, UK, will take up Goodwin's position as vice president, licensing, EMEA. In this capacity, Baker will be responsible for managing the brand licensing, sponsorship and interactive businesses in the Nordic countries, Southern Europe and the Middle East. She will be based in London and will report to FLW senior vice president licensing, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific Mark Newton.