IM Global CEO Stuart Ford has bolstered his executive suite heading into EFM, expanding the role of London-based sales executive Tim Grohne and hiring dealmaker Michael Roban.

Grohne heads the London office and becomes evp of European operations and will assume oversight of genre label Octane, working alongside Octane sales executive Tatyana Joffe. He will also handle European acquisitions and co-production activity.

Roban joins IM Global as senior business affairs and film financing consultant. He previously served as CEO of film fund Cold Fusion Media and held senior positions at Participant Media and ContentFilm. 

Reporting to Roban as part of a five-person business and legal affairs team is new svp of business and legal affairs Kendra Doucette, who previously worked at Yari Film Group.

Ford said Grohne was a “hugely popular and effective London presence”, adding that Roban was “a killer dealmaker.”

Ford and his president of sales and distribution Jonathan Deckter will be looking to secure robust sales on a market slate that includes IM Global and Alexandra Milchan’s EMJAG Productions’ Sylvester Stallone thriller Headshot, set to begin shooting in May.

The horror pair of Sundance premiere Red State from Kevin Smith and The Lords Of Salem from Rob Zombie are also expected to generate a strong response, as are Jose Padilha’s Panorama entry and Brazilian box office phenomenon Elite Squad 2, Madonna’s period drama W.E. and Bollywood sequel Don 2.

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