Latin American film equipment rental giant EFD Studios has appointed José Miguel Álvarez Ibargüengoitia, a veteran senior executive from Mexico's national film institute Imcine, as CEO of EFD Studios Mexico. The move is part of a broader expansion drive under new global director general Nacho Carballo and group president Georgina Terán, aimed at consolidating EFD's position in Spain, Mexico, Colombia and the US while pursuing further international growth, including investment in AI and virtual production capabilities.

The appointment lands just months after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and actor-producer Salma Hayek announced a new transferable tax credit, unveiled on 15 February, for Mexican and international productions filming in Mexico, covering post-production spend. Álvarez Ibargüengoitia spent over a decade at Imcine, including roles as international promotion director (2013-17), director of film production (2017-26) and technical coordinator (2019-26), and is expected to draw on his extensive industry contacts. EFD Studios, already Mexico's leading rental provider, has supplied high-end equipment such as ARRI M-series lights and SkyPanels to major productions including Netflix's "Pedro Páramo."