Emilie Anthonis to Replace Stan McCoy as MPA Head for Europe

Emilie Anthonis will replace Stan McCoy as the new president and managing director of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions, the MPA said Monday.

Anthonis will take over on Jan. 1, 2025. McCoy is stepping down after leading the MPA in the region for over a decade.

“I’m proud to pass the baton after an exciting decade leading what is undoubtedly the EMEA region’s most skilled trade association across public policy, antipiracy, and all its other fields of expertise,” McCoy said in a statement.

“I am looking forward to serving the MPA members in this new capacity while continuing the spirit of teamwork that Stan has inspired across all of our MPA EMEA operations,” said Anthonis. “Europe is such a key market for the MPA’s members, and they have a very long history of storytelling and partnerships in the region.”

Prior to joining the MPA in 2017, Anthonis served as director of legal and public affairs at the Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT). Her career also includes a stint as in-house counsel at Viacom and work as an IP lawyer specializing in copyright and media law at a Brussels law firm.

Charles Rivkin, chairman and CEO of the MPA, expressed confidence in Anthonis’ appointment, citing her extensive experience in the European audiovisual sector and her reputation as an advocate for the creative industry.

“Emilie is a veteran of the MPA and the European audiovisual sector, and she’s earned a strong reputation as a powerful advocate for the creative industry, an expert in policymaking, a respected voice in European capitals, and a leader of integrity,” said Rivkin. “[She is] ready to take the reins of our operations and serve as an effective voice for our industry across this region, and I have full confidence in her ability to keep advancing the MPA’s priorities, leading our policy engagements and accompanying our member studios’ partnerships with stakeholders.”

Based in Brussels, Anthonis will report to Gail MacKinnon, senior executive vp global policy and government affairs. In her new position, Anthonis will be responsible for advancing the MPA’s priorities, leading policy engagements, and fostering partnerships between member studios and stakeholders throughout Europe and beyond.

The MPA lobbies lawmakers on behalf of its member studios: Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Walt Disney Studios, Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, and Warner Bros. Discovery.