Summit confirms Garrett departure

Summit Entertainment has confirmed that David Garrett, its London-based president of international sales, is to leave the company.

According to a statement, Garrett is going to “pursue other career and personal opportunities.” The statement added that Garrett will remain at Summit “to aid in the transition of his duties to other executives” but it did not specify for how long.

The announcement comes a month after Lionsgate completed its acquisition of Summit. Soon after the acquisition sources indicated that Garrett was staying in his post and that Summit International would operate separately from Lionsgate’s international sales arm, headed by Helen Kim.

The statement regarding Garrett’s departure said: “For the near term, both Summit International and Lionsgate International will continue to run as two stand-alone entities. A formal announcement as to a reconstituted international executive structure will be made at a later date.”

It remains to be seen how the reconstituted structure might affect Summit’s deals with its key international distribution partners, which include Entertainment One (for the UK, Canada and Australia), SND/M6 (for France), Nordisk Film (for Scandinavia) and Tele-Meunchen (for Germany and Austria).

Garrett, who as president of Summit International is currently offering the company’s slate at the European Film Market in Berlin, partnered with Patrick Waschsberger and Bob Hayward to take over Summit in 1993.

In the company’s statement, Waschsberger and Rob Friedman, who since the sale of Summit have been named co-chairmen of Lionsgate Film Group, said: “We are saddened by our friend David’s departure, one of the most respected and talented executives working within the international film community today, but fully support his desire to pursue new opportunities. David has been instrumental in building Summit into a brand that has come to be known as one of quality and service within the international community and all at Summit are grateful for his passion and dedication to the company.”