Carl Clifton leaves The Works to join expanding K5

Carl Clifton is leaving his post as international sales chief at The Works International to join the expanding K5 Media Group.

K5 concurrently announced that is opening a Los Angeles office, to expand on current offices in Munich and London.

“The changes are part of a strategic move of K5 Media Group to expand into the production, financing and sales of higher- budgeted commercial feature films,” the company said.

Clifton is a 20-year-industry veteran who previously worked at Handmade, Universal Pictures and Polygram. He will jointly manage acquisitions and sales with Oliver Simon and Daniel Baur. He will oversee marketing, while Simon and Baur oversee production activities.

Sascha R. Prestel heads K5’s business & finance affairs.

Of the new LA office, Baur added: “Our new LA office is a key component in our growth strategy. We work more and more often with producers stateside and spend more and more time there. It’s a logical step for us.”

Clifton said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Oliver and Daniel at K5. I have followed their progress from the very beginning and they have achieved a lot in a very short space of time. They have serious backing from a number of key German investors and are leveraging that backing in very clever, aggressive but realistic ways. They have incredible energy and drive and real smarts but they have integrity and charm too. K5 is the most exciting new venture around by far and I’m confident it will very quickly join the elite of financing, production and sales companies”.

Simon added: “We´ve known each other for a good few years now so this feels like a very natural fit. Carl has a fantastic track record in star-driven and big budget commercial feature films like Planet 51, Notting HIll, The Green Mile and The Game. But he’s also experienced in the kind of high-end, awards-driven material we will very much continue to embrace — films like I Am Love, Elizabeth, Fargo and The Cove. With his broad range, experience and network Carl is the perfect partner for helping take K5 to the next level.”

Clifton joins at Bill Stephens, a co-founder of K5 International five years ago, leaves the company.

Stephens said: “My partners Oliver Simon, Daniel Baur and I established K5 in 2006 with a clear view of having a UK-based sales and marketing office – with production and business affairs located in Munich. We knew that in time, K5 would want to review where they would want to base the sales operation and this is a good time for me to step back from K5 and explore other opportunities and for K5 International to review how they want to take the company into the next stage. It’s been a great experience and I wish them all the best“.

Oliver Simon and Daniel Baur said: “We are very thankful for the last five years with Bill. We could not have asked for a better partner for starting up the sales company and we are also wishing Bill all the best for the future.”

K5’s slate includes Get Low, Voice From The Stone, and The Three Lawrences.