Abu Dhabi's Shepheard joins Film London

As senior inward investment manager for Film London, Shepheard will manage the promotion of London as a film, TV and animation production destination, joining the Inward Investment and Business Development team, headed up by Helena Mackenzie.

Shepheard most recently acted as a consultant for various UK media agencies. In 2009, he was recruited to set up the Abu Dhabi Film Commission.

Prior to Abu Dhabi, where he introduced the Middle East’s first and only financial incentive for filming, Shepheard was head of inward investment and locations at South West Screen, before which he launched Screen East when it merged with Eastern Screen where he was interim chief executive.

He was the first director of the Bristol Film Office and worked before that as an assistant director.

Adrian Wootton, chief executive of Film London and the British Film Commission said: “The production industries in London are in the midst of an expansion with the new UK tax reliefs for television and animation now in place, and the upcoming enhancement to the film tax relief. As an agency we are working to attract and facilitate international productions, and continuing to build on our success in overturning London’s reputation as a difficult place to film. 

“I am delighted David will be driving this work forward. His experience in this area will ensure we capitalise on London’s assets and deliver more investment into the capital, creating jobs and new opportunities for the benefit of the city.”