Senior director Sean Mc Manus [pictured] and director of artist development Josh Welsh will fill the vacancy left by Hudson, who last June became CEO of the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

Mc Manus and Welsh will run Film Independent and oversee the year-round filmmaker programmes.

“The board of directors and staff are delighted to have Sean and Josh as co-presidents,” board chairman Bill Condon said. “They are a seasoned team whose skills and expertise complement one another beautifully. They collectively possess 25 years of experience, in every area of the organisation, and it’s clear they have a shared vision that will take Film Independent to its next level of growth.

Mc Manus joined Film Independent in 1998 as development director and was promoted to his current role in 2006, He began his career in the non-profit sector and served five years at USC and one year as director of major gifts at AFI.

Welsh has been responsible for the overall design, strategic planning and implementation of all of Film Independent’s artist development programmes over the last decade.

Topics