MUMBAI: Russell Hicks, a 14-year Nickelodeon veteran and its Chief Creative Officer since 2008, has been named to the new position of President, Content Development and Production for the Nickelodeon Group. He will report to Nickelodeon Group President Cyma Zarghami.

In this new role, Hicks will be based at Nickelodeon?s Burbank and Santa Monica, California, offices, where he will lead the company?s live-action, animation development and production teams for all of Nickelodeon?s content platforms.

"Russell has been one of the driving forces behind the Nickelodeon brand," said Zarghami. "As we continue our ambitious evolution of Nickelodeon, Russell will ensure that our rich and diversified development slate, as well as our new and established producing partners, will all serve our creative vision for the network and deliver for our audiences. As the new development season begins, this is the perfect moment for Russell to take the helm."

Reporting to Hicks will be: Margie Cohn, who will serve in the new role of President, Content Development, Nickelodeon, working across live-action, animation and digital; Paula Kaplan, who will now serve as Executive Vice President of Current Series; Teri Weiss, Executive Vice President of Nickelodeon Preschool Development and Production; Alison Dexter, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Productions; Rich Magallanes, Senior Vice President, Animation, Current Series; and Keith Dawkins, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Nickelodeon?s Nick Jr., Nicktoons and TeenNick channels.

Nickelodeon?s recently announced development slate includes more than a dozen new live-action, animation and TV movie projects as part of the network?s deep commitment to new content.

These projects include: two Nick spin-off comedy pilots, Sam & Cat and Gibby, featuring beloved characters from hit series iCarly and Victorious; new series Wendell and Vinnie starring Jerry Trainor and the pilot Instant Mom, both for Nick at Nite; You Gotta? See This, highlighting must-see video clips; and two original TV movies, Swindle and Nicky Deuce.

Also included are the CG-animated series Monsters vs. Aliens and the 2D Sanjay & Craig; the highly anticipated return of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in September; and the 4Q launch of Nick at Nite?s Scott Baio family comedy, See Dad Run. For preschool, the network is adding the curriculum-based animated series, Monty and Norville, and a pilot for Blaze and the Monster Machines.

Brown Johnson, who has served as the President of Animation since 2008, will be leaving her role to pursue her own creative endeavors.

Prior to working at Nickelodeon, Hicks was Vice President of Marketing, Cartoon Network/Turner brands for Warner Brothers, where he was responsible for the marketing and creative that turned Scooby Doo and the Power Puff Girls into cultural icons.