FD of Harry Potter studio retires

THE FINANCE director of the studio responsible for Harry Potter and the Pirates of the Caribbean film serials is to retire at the end of the month.

Patrick Garner will leave Pinewood Shepperton, the holding company of Pinewood Studios, having been FD since 2001.

Prior to Pinewood he spent two years as FD of Canary Wharf Limited and gained experience of working in film companies as FD of ABC Cinemas and vice president of property and finance at Village Cinemas.

Chris Naisby, currently financial controller, will assume responsibility of group finance function.

Pinewood and Shepperton Studios have been home to over 1,500 films in the last 75 years, including Slumdog Millionaire, the James Bond film Quantum of Solace and Atonement.

Michael Grade, chairman, said: “The board would like to record its grateful thanks to Patrick for his contribution to the success of Pinewood Shepperton over the past eleven years and our best wishes for the future.”