IM Global, one of the leading foreign sales, financing and production companies, will open Beijing offices in China at the end of June.
The bold expansion plans into Far East, announced by IM Global founder and CEO Stuart Ford, aim to harness the region's international sales activity and oversee the releases of IM Global’s movies in mainland China "as the territory becomes an increasingly important piece of the distribution jigsaw puzzle."
The company has hired well-known local executive Leslie Chen, who was most recently head of international sales at Huayi Brothers Media Corporation, to oversee its ambitions.
Chen played a part in launching sales on major Asian titles such as Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame and Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon by Tsui Hark; Aftershock by Feng Xiao Gang ; If You are the One II by Feng Xiao Gang; Starry Starry Night by Tom Lin; Love by Doze Niu and Tai Chi Hero by Stephen Fung.
IM Global will also base day-to-day management and operations of its Apsara pan-Asian distribution label out of Beijing after Chen’s arrival.
Said Ford: "We’re excited at the prospect of expanding our sales and distribution activities across Asia in the next few years. Leslie is an outstanding hire for us and I look forward to her playing a prominent role in our pan-Asian distribution and sales business in years to come."
Said Chen, “I am very happy to join IM Global and contribute my knowhow and experience of the Asian market to such a dynamic, fast-growing company. It will be an exciting and challenging new journey for both of us."
The move comes less than month after Ford signed a multiyear contract extension as CEO of the company.