Dubai: Gulf Film announced on Wednesday that Debbie Stanford Kristiansen has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Grand Cinemas, the largest chain of theatres in the Middle East.

The announcement comes as Grand Cinemas launches the next phase in its ongoing regional expansion, beginning with 66 new screens and three IMAX theatre systems to be unveiled by 2014. Acquired in 2012 by Qatar Media Services (q.media) as part of the Gulf Film Group, Grand Cinemas operates 101 screens in the UAE and Jordan.