Sam Nichols, managing director of Alliance Films’ distribution arm in the U.K., is to leave her post at the end of May.

Alliance spokesman Mark Slone on Friday said Nichols, who has been with Momentum Pictures for five years, is to quit the business and travel the world ahead of a possible career change.

Alliance president of international distribution Xavier Marchand, who used to perform Nichols’ duties at the London-based indie distributor, will fill in until a successor is found.

Finding Nichols’ replacement will take time, Slone said, as Britain’s DVD market has been thrown into upheaval by the loss of big-name retailers, most notably Woolworths, during the current recession.

Besides its theatrical slate of around 20 titles a year, Momentum releases filmed entertainment product in all media, including DVD and Blu-ray.

Momentum is also part of Alliance’s growing rivalry in international distribution with E1 Entertainment, which owns and operates British distributor Contender Entertainment.