Torsten Koch and Oliver Koppert have been appointed as managing directors of Constantin Film's theatrical distribution arm Constantin Film Verleih with effect from Oct 1.

Koch, who has been Marketing & Publicity Director for Constantin Film since 1999, will serve as Marketing/Distribution Managing Director for Constantin Film Verleih, while Koppert will take over the position of Sales Managing Director. He had been sales director at the Munich-based outfit since April 2007 after previously working for Warner Bros. and UIP.

They will be reporting to Constantin Film's CEO Fred Kogel who had assumed temporary responsibility for the distribution operations after Thomas Peter Friedl left the company at the end of January 2008.

Commenting on the appointment of Koch and Koppert to their new positions, Kogel noted that 'the management structure of Constantin Film Verleih is now guaranteed for the long term with a team of staff who are respected on the market and have a successful track record.'

Constantin Film Verleih has been the most successful independent distributor so far this year with such hits as The Wave, Asterix & The Olympic Games and Step Up 2 The Streets. The 9.2% market share of the German box-officegave it joint fourth place with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and ahead of Sony Pictures.