Company Town : Warner Unit Appoints New Vice President

Warner Music announced a long-awaited restructuring of some of its West Coast operations.

Paul Cooper, who had been senior vice president and West Coast general manager for Warner’s Atlantic Records unit, was been named vice president of Los Angeles-based Warner Music-U.S.

Warner would not say who will replace Cooper, but sources said the company is expected to announce soon that it has replaced him with Ron Shapiro, Atlantic vice president for media and artists relations. The move would be unusual for Shapiro in that it is somewhat rare for publicists to get such senior management posts.

In his new job, Cooper will be responsible for developing a West Coast base for Warner Music-U.S. The move is part of a restructuring of Time Warner Inc.’s music operations that is being handled by Doug Morris, who was recently promoted from head of Warner’s Atlantic Group to president and chief operating officer of Warner Music-U.S.

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* Virgin Records America named Peter Holden director of international.

* Michael Goodnight was named senior vice president and assistant controller for Warner Bros.

* The American Film Marketing Assn. promoted William A. Anderson to vice president of research and publications.

* Gary Berberet was named vice president of advertising and promotion at Genesis Entertainment.

* Nickelodeon Movies has named Jerry Beck vice president of animation.

* New Line Cinema and producer Steve Tisch signed child star Curtis Williams Jr. to a two-year development deal.

* Kathleen A. Duke was named senior vice president of business and legal affairs for International Film Guarantors.

* Gini Barrett, senior vice president at the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, was named to the advisory council of Progress LA to promote economic development in Los Angeles.

* Yair Landau was promoted to senior vice president of finance and corporate development for Sony Pictures Entertainment.

* United Paramount Network named former 20th Television executive Leonard J. Grossi as a senior executive vice president.

* Agent Robert Kass has left Silver/Kass & Massetti to join Innovative Artists.

* Lisa Berlin was named vice president of promotions at Hamilton Projects.

* Peggy Powell was named vice president of creative services for Claster Television.

* Vicki D. Greenleaf was named a senior vice president of Manning, Selvage & Lee to run the public relations company’s new entertainment group in Los Angeles.

* New Line Cinema Distribution named Larry Levy, Sue Cohen and Clayton Fellner to its regional sales offices.