Former U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd has been named as the new chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America. Dodd replaces Dan Glickman, a former congressman from Kansas, who stepped down as head of the MPAA in April. Dodd starts in the position on March 17. The association, with West Coast offices in Sherman Oaks, is the lobbying group for the major Hollywood studios. Heading up the MPAA is a continuation of his work in the Senate, which included the the protection of intellectual property and the expansion of international trade, Dodd said. “The major motion picture studios consistently produce and distribute the most sought after and enjoyable entertainment on earth,” Dodd added. “Protecting this great American export will be my highest priority.” Dodd served in the Senate from 1981 to 2011. He was Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and the author of the historic Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
