Intermedia is stepping up its drive to build a US presence by shifting business and legal affairs from London to Los Angeles.

The move is expected to mean about 15 redundancies or re-locations at Intermedia's London office, although the Los Angeles arm will be expanded commensurately. It is understood that Intermedia's distribution department will be managed from Los Angeles, dividing activities bewteen London and the US. The marketing team to remain in London.

The company recently appointed Jere Hausfater, formerly of Buena Vista Film Sales, to head distribution and acquisitions, as well as Basil Iwanyk, previously at Warner Bros, to oversee production. Both executives are Los Angeles based.

Post-restructure, Intermedia is expected to employ roughly 25 staff in London, 40 in Los Angeles and 15 in Munich. Intermedia has been raising US production activities since floating this May in Germany as Internationalmedia. Most significantly, Intermedia struck a long-term deal with producer Mark Johnson and lured Harrison Ford to star in K-19: The Widowmaker.

But UK and European production activity is expected to continue at current levels through a string of first-look pacts with international film-makers as well as one-off projects. In July, Intermedia struck a first-look pact with Kate Winslet and Jim Threapleton's Telltale Films.