Oscar-winning film studio Neon has made a key hire in Ryan Werner, a dogged veteran and fixture in the indie film space.

Neon CEO Tom Quinn has named Wener to the newly created role of president of global cinema, where he will lead distribution and shepherd the company’s auteur-driven slate to audiences. Werner comes from Cinetic Media, the American financing and distribution company he founded in 2014.

“Ryan’s taste, passion and instincts for cinema are boundless,” Quinn said in a statement. “Together, combined with Ryan’s extensive knowledge, wealth of relationships and envious track record, we look forward to continue growing Neon as a premiere home for groundbreaking cinema. To say we’re thrilled about working with Ryan would be the understatement of the year.”

Werner’s new purview will be focused on theatrical distribution, working alongside Neon senior leadership (including distribution chief Elissa Federoff and international distribution executive...