Left Bank Pictures has snapped up the services of Luther producer Katie Swinden and is targeting a push into the US on the back of Sky 1/HBO co-pro Strike Back.

Swinden, who has also worked as a producer on BBC1 spy drama Spooks, will join the Wallander indie as an executive producer, reporting to chief executive Andy Harries.

Her appointment follows the departure of Francis Hopkinson to ITV Studios. Swinden will work alongside Left Bank’s other executive producer, Michael Casey.

Managing director Marigo Kehoe said Swinden had good relationships with writers and “a good sense of humour”, which was an important part of the culture at Left Bank.

HBO’s Cinemax is airing series two of Strike Back in the US as part of its co-production deal with Sky, and Harries said it had given the drama a “huge” marketing push, helping to raise Left Bank’s profile in the country.

Harries and Kehoe are visiting in September for a “serious foray” into the market, with shows including Sky 1’s Mad Dogs and E4’s School Of Comedy sparking interest among US networks.

“For the past four years, we have largely focused on Europe and we film almost entirely overseas. It feels like a good time to go to the US - the Americans are more interested than ever in co-productions,” Harries said.

Swinden produced two runs of Luther, which averaged 6.43 million (25.34%) viewers in its second series, as well as two series of Spooks.

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