Eric Christenson (pictured)has come aboard Graham King's Initial Entertainment Group as president of salesand distribution.

Based in LosAngeles, Christenson started work at the company in Los Angeles on Aug 1 andreports directly to King. He replaces Stephanie Denton, who was recently nameddistribution chief at Lions Gate International.

Christensonformerly established Tentpole Pictures where he consulted for Dean Devlin andNicolas Chartier's Voltage Pictures, among others.

Prior to that heserved as executive vice president of sales and distribution at MyriadPictures, setting up the international operations of the company and overseeinglicensing, sales, marketing and distribution on titles like Kinsey and The Good Girl.

"Graham is one of the top producers in the business today,and he has strong relationships with A-list talent and access to the bestmaterial," Christenson said.

"We both agreethat true success in this business can only be achieved by making qualitymovies with a strong commercial appeal, and Graham's record in this regard issecond to none."

"Eric is anincredible talent with tremendous experience," King added. "Having someone withhis passion and enthusiasm will truly be an asset to Initial."

Under Initial'sfirst-look deal with Warner Bros, shooting is ongoing on crimethriller The Departed,on which King serves as producer and has teamed up with his Gangs Of New York director Martin Scorsese.

StarringLeonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, The Departed is an English-language remake ofthe hit Hong Kong crime saga Infernal Affairs.

Next up for Kingunder the Warner Bros deal will be the Mumbai-set crime drama Shantaram, starring Johnny Depp.

Initial is also handlinginternational distribution on Lasse Hallstrom's drama An Unfinished Life, which stars Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman andJennifer Lopez, and will be released in North American through Miramax on Sept9.