Robert Lantos has boosted his stake in Entertainment One as part of a just-completed buyout offer to existing shareholders.

As British equity investor Marwyn Neptune Fund raised its own stake in the Canadian producer and distributor from 27.7% to 44.4%, or 57.7 million shares, Lantos, a non-executive director of E1, picked up 1.12 million shares, or a 0.9% stake, for 12.5 pence (17 cents) each.

Lantos will add his latest share accumulation in E1 to the 2.56 million shares, or 1.75% stake, he already owned.

After he cashed out of ThinkFilm, Lantos launched Maximum Film Distribution and Maximum Films International before those companies were acquired by E1 last year, as was Blueprint Entertainment and distribution arm Oasis International, in which Lantos had a stake.

Lantos continues to run his movie production shingle, Serendipity Point Films.

Also as part of the partial cash offer to existing E1 shareholders completed on March 27, Darren Throop, CEO of E1, acquired another 1.5 million shares at 12.5 pence each to take his holding to 3.2%, or 4.2 million shares.

Cayman Island-based E1, which has its executive offices in Toronto, had hoped to raise financing by re-listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange, but recently shelved those plans due to market conditions.

E1 continues to be listed on London’s AIM Exchange, but has seen its shares fall sharply over the last year as part of an overall market downdraft.

Marwyn in early March said its minority stake in the Canadian company is a long-term investment, and not a prelude to a takeover offer.