Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. on Friday said that it will expand its Asia-Pacific regional operations in Hong Kong and reduce its presence in Australia.

Tim Stuart, the film and television studio’s Australia-based vice president of sales for the Asia Pacific, left the company as of June 10. Stuart indicated in a statement that he had not wanted to relocate. The company said three other executives will share his responsibilities until a senior distribution executive is hired in Hong Kong.

“We thank Tim Stuart for his valuable contributions during his tenure at Lions Gate and look forward to being closer to our clients in Asia from our base in Hong Kong,” Peter Iacono, who heads the Lions Gate International unit, said in a statement.

Lions Gate has its major operations in Santa Monica but corporate headquarters are in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Shares were up 8 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $6.33 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.