Nomura Names Finance Group Exec

Former Miramax Films executive Neil Sacker has been named executive vice president of Nomura Entertainment Finance Group. He also becomes a director of its parent company, Nomura Capital, the leading commercial real estate financier.

Sacker’s appointment is a result of what Nomura’s principals called an “overwhelming response” to its new entertainment financing services.

Nomura announced in September it was moving into entertainment finance, specifically non-recourse loans against predictable cash flows such as royalties. Since then, said Nomura Entertainment partner Irving Azoff, the company has made at least five deals.

Azoff declined to offer specifics, but sources said singer Rod Stewart is nearing a deal with Nomura.

Sacker, 36, will be based in Los Angeles. He has been executive vice president of business and legal affairs for Miramax Films in New York for three years.

There is still one possible hurdle to Sacker’s appointment: Nomura sources said Miramax was contending that Sacker was breaking his contract by going to Nomura.

A spokeswoman for Miramax said Sacker “left without warning. There is a significant amount of time left on his contract; we’re looking into the matter.”