In 2002, Linde and his partners sold the Good Machine companies to Universal Pictures and created Focus Features. While at Good Machine, Linde also executive produced Todd Solondz's Happiness. Films distributed by GMI earned six Academy Awards from 22 nominations, including two for Best Picture and five Golden Globes from 18 nominations.

Joel Coen and Ethan Coen's The Man Who Wasn't There, and Todd Field's In the Bedroom. GMI handled the international distribution of films including Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (of which Linde was executive producer), Alfonso Cuaron's Y Tu MamГЎ TambiГ©n (of which Linde was executive producer). Linde served as both co-president and partner of the production company Good Machine and President and founder of Good Machine International, beginning in January 1997. While at Miramax, he oversaw the international distribution of Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite, Wes Craven's Scream and Anthony Minghella's multi-Academy Award-winning The English Patient. Linde joined Miramax Films in 1991 as Vice President of Acquisitions before being promoted to Executive Vice President and Head of Sales as the founding executive of Miramax Films International. In New York, he worked as a paralegal for Paramount Pictures from 1984-1988 where he supervised sales of select international theatrical rights at Paramount Pictures and then as co-head of the international department at Fox Lorber Associates from 1988-1991 where he directed the sales of more than 300 independently produced film, documentary and television titles. After attending Swarthmore College, he moved to New York City where his girlfriend (later his wife) had moved.

In 1978, Linde graduated from South Eugene High School. His father was Jewish and his mother is Presbyterian. Linde was born and raised in Eugene, the son of law professor and Oregon Supreme Court Justice, Hans A.

David linde