DreamWorks Taps Rick Sands for Prez

Rick Sands has been named president and chief operating officer of DreamWorks SKG, home to such animated hits as Antz, Shrek, Shrek 2, and Shark Tale. The industry veteran was wooed away from Disney’s arthouse arm, Miramax, which has been plagued with layoffs and management problems in recent months.

Sands most recently served as COO at Miramax Films, having joined the company in 1990 as exec VP and CFO. He was instrumental in the negotiations that brought Miramax to Disney but left in 1993 to spend two years with RHI Ent. Sands returned to Miramax in 1995 as president of international and was promoted to Chairman of Worldwide Distribution in 1997.

In his new post, Sands will primarily be responsible for overseeing the management of day-to-day operations of the private company, reporting directly to principal partner David Geffen.