With more than 20 years of entertainment licensing, marketing, business development and communications experience, Michael Peikoff has been promoted to senior vice president, licensing and merchandising for 20th Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising. The announcement was made by executive vice president, licensing and merchandising, Elie Dekel, to whom he reports.

Formerly vice president of licensing, Peikoff’s role will be expanded to include management of all internal and external communications for the licensing division as well as overseeing the company’s retail marketing and licensed promotions initiatives in the United States. Accordingly, Jeff Shapiro, vice president, retail marketing, and Howard Nelson, vice president, worldwide promotion, will report directly to Peikoff.

“Michael has been an integral part of the success we’ve experienced in our Licensing & Merchandising division,” says Dekel. “His insight, strong relationships, and tenacity have helped propel licensing programs for ‘The Simpsons,’ ‘Family Guy,’ and Napoleon Dynamite, among others, to new levels while also helping to launch new business development initiatives for the division. We’re looking forward to more of the same results in the future.”