Friends and business associates of Stephen Christian, who died on Saturday aged 53, have described him as creative, positive, hard-working and a stalwart supporter of the Isle of Man.

Mr Christian had held many government related posts including being a director of the MEA and an investment advisor to the Department of Trade and Industry, working later for the Department of Economic Development. He was founder and chairman of CinemaNX, overseeing the island’s film programme and joined the Pinewood group as a board member and a director of Pinewood Pictures when it took over the island’s media development fund in 2012. He stepped down from that role in 2015.

Former Chief Minister Allan Bell described the news as a great shock.

‘He was a massive asset to the island for a great number of years,’ he said.

‘Not only is it a tremendous shock to me but I’m sure to all his friends and business associates and of course to his family. He has been a huge asset to the Isle of Man working in the private sector and also in different departments in government,’ he added.