Sheila de la Varende has rejoined Telefilm Canada, this time as its director of national and international business development. De la Varende, who was until recently working in digital at the National Film Board, will be back at the federal funder on April 20.

She has been in Telefilm’s management ranks before, including a stint atop its European office and as director of its overseas promotion and development efforts. She has also worked for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada and was executive director of the Festival du nouveau cinéma in Montreal, a role she exited during the three-way war between that city’s festivals in 2005.

‘[De la Varende] has a sterling reputation, both here and abroad, and we know how much of a professional she is, given that she has already held key management positions at Telefilm,’ said exec director Wayne Clarkson in a statement.

She replaces Danny Chalifour, who has place-held the position following Telefilm’s reorganization last fall. Chalifour will retire in June.