IM Global was launched by founder and CEO, Stuart Ford in April 2007, originally in partnership with German public company Internationalmedia AG, with the intention of building a true globally minded entertainment company at the heart of digital distribution evolution and with a business strategy that married traditional Hollywood financial and creative strengths with an innovative emerging markets focus. IM Global was the 2015 recipient of the Variety Award for Achievement in International Film.
Since April 2010 the company's two shareholders have been Reliance Entertainment, a subsidiary of Indian billionaire Anil Ambani's Reliance ADA group and Ford himself. Reliance Entertainment's other Hollywood partnership of note is as a major investor in Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks Pictures. Since Reliance's investment in IM Global, Ford and his Indian partners have built the company into an entertainment industry powerhouse currently with offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Beijing, Mexico City and Mumbai. The company enjoys particular prominence in Hollywood production, financing and international distribution. IM Global's titles enjoyed number one international box office share in the global film sector outside of the major Hollywood studios in both 2013 and 2014.