Juan Pita has announced he will step down from his position as director of the pan-European training initiative Media Business School (MBS) at the end of the month.

Pita leaves to set up his own production company, the Madrid-based Decontrabando. Although his official end date is October 31, he will continue to oversee the current Master in Audiovisual Management (MEGA) program through December.

Hugo Lasarte, current deputy director of the MBS, will become interim acting director with close support from financial administrator Isabel Calle.

Pita took over the reigns at MBS in 2000 from Antonio Saura, who also left to start his own production company. He cites the 'end of a professional cycle' and frustration with budget cuts at the MEDIA Program as among the motivating factors.

He has also long been developing a handful of feature film projects, led by the ambitious Euros 6m English-language fantastic thriller Moles, set to be Decontrabando's first production.

From writing and debut directing team David Munoz and Antonio Trashorras (co-writers on The Devil's Backbone), the film is being set up as a co-production with the UK's Spice Factory and other potential European partners for a spring 2004 shoot in Spain.