Entertainment One/Alliance Films Merger Results in More Departures

TORONTO - Entertainment One has announced more departures after its takeover of rival Canadian-based distributor Alliance Films.

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Chris Lynch, the lynchpin of Alliance's direct-to-customer home entertainment business, is leaving, as is Richard Fowler, who joined Alliance in 1997 and recently executive produced its reality TV series Undercover Boss Canada.

Elsewhere, Les Films Séville, the Montreal-based film distribution arm, has seen Guy Gagnon and Pierre Brousseau similarly leave to “pursue other interests.”

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The Canadian producer and distributor has looked to reduce layers of management at the combined operations in Canada, the U.K. and elsewhere to secure savings and other promised synergies to investors from its $228 million takeover.

Entertainment One’s newly merged Canadian distribution team, led by Bryan Gliserman and Noah Segal as co-presidents, will include former Alliance Films execs Frank Mendicino as senior vp of theatrical marketing, Mark Slone as senior vp of acquisitions, Darlene Hotton as senior vp of theatrical sales and Naveen Prasad as senior vp of broadcast and digital sales.

Richard Rapkowski, who joined Entertainment One in 2008, is named senior vp of business and legal affairs, while Kevin Hall becomes executive vp of home entertainment, film.

And Les Films Séville president Patrick Roy team now includes Victor Rego as senior vp of theatrical distribution and Xavier Trudel as senior vp of acquisitions and sales.

Entertainment One acquired Alliance Films from affiliates of Goldman Sachs Capital Partners and Investissement Québec to increase its international reach across Canada, the United Kingdom, Benelux, Australia, United States and Spain.

The acquisition brings together two independent film distribution players under the Entertainment One banner and establishes the newly-enlarged company as the biggest indie film distributor in both the Canadian and U.K. markets.