16/12/2008

Yesterday, Scandinavian major Nordisk Film announced that Allan Hansen is the company’s new managing director, following the unexpected resignation of Michael Ritto.

The 42 year-old Hansen has been with Nordisk Film since 1989. Most recently, he was responsible for Nordisk Film’s film and games business unit, which purchases, co-produces, markets and sells games and films to cinemas, TV stations and retail outlets.

“Allan Hansen has played a key management role at Nordisk Film for many years,” said Steffen Kragh, president and CEO of Egmont, which owns Nordisk Film. “He is a natural candidate to take over full responsibility for Nordisk Film after Michael Ritto’s departure.”

Ritto, who was managing director at Nordisk Film since 2006, played a key role in establishing long-term relationships with producers and creative talent across the Nordic region. Last March, after a recent acquisition of 50% of Zentropa by Nordisk Film, he told Cineuropa that his goal was to create a Northern European film company capable of attracting the strongest creative talent.

He is now leaving the film business to go back to his first passion, where he started: the music industry. He will exclusively oversee the activities of the MBO Group, one of Denmark’s leading music companies, which he founded in 2004 and now co-owns with Egmont.