Two months after leaving Miramax, Daniel Battsek is reportedly preparing to take over as president of National Geographic Films as Adam Leipzig segues into a producer role.

The news follows Battsek’s departure last November from his post as president of Disney-owned Miramax Films. Battsek had not returned calls at time of writing.

In a statement National Geographic Entertainment president David Beal said: “After six incredible years of setting the strategic course for National Geographic Films, Adam Leipzig’s relationship transitions to executive producer of two in-process National Geographic Entertainment projects, Peter Weir’s The Way Back and the mini-series Undaunted Courage with HBO.”

Leipzig will remain in place until mid-March. During his six-year tenure as president he presided over a quality slate, most notably the 2006 Oscar winning documentary and box office hit The March Of The Penguins.

He was also instrumental in closing a $100m film fund with Imagenation Abu Dhabi to develop, produce, finance and acquire ten to 15 films over five years.

The first fund project to be announced was Weir’s Second World War escape thriller The Way Back, which stars Marck Strong, Colin Farrell, Saoirse Ronan and Ed Harris and is in post-production.