London, 11 July 2011: FremantleMedia, one of the largest creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world, today announces that Ian Hogg, currently CEO of FremantleMedia Australia, has been promoted to the newly created position of CEO, Asia Pacific, with immediate effect. In his expanded role, Hogg will be responsible for the overall management and business performance of all of FremantleMedia’s production operations in Australia and Asia, and will continue to be based in FremantleMedia’s Sydney office.
Simon Spalding, Regional CEO, Europe and Asia Pacific, FremantleMedia, said: “We are very pleased that Ian will be extending his successful leadership of FremantleMedia Australia to take on responsibility for our thriving Asian businesses. We see enormous potential for the Asia Pacific region and Ian brings a unique combination of experience and expertise that combines knowledge of both the region and our company. He is perfectly placed to continue to build on our significant creative and commercial strengths in Australia and across Asia, working with our local partners and our wider international network. We look forward to him steering the company through its next stages of development in the region”.
Ian Hogg, CEO, Asia Pacific, FremantleMedia said: “I’m very much looking forward to working closely with our great teams in all of our Asia Pacific offices and helping to grow FremantleMedia’s market leading business. I have a deep affinity for the Asian region and the rich cultural diversity of its people and the territories within it. It is an incredibly dynamic part of the world with a very strong appetite for innovative television programming and I am very excited to be re-engaging with it”.
Hogg has worked for 25 years in the television industry within TV networks and independent production companies in Australia and Asia, and has been CEO of FremantleMedia Australia since September 2009.
He began his career at Network TEN in Brisbane in 1984 in programming and after four years moved to TEN Sydney as Assistant Program Manager. In 1990, he relocated to New Zealand to become Director of Programming at TV3.
In 1993, Hogg returned to Sydney to join independent production company RA Becker as Head of Television and in 1996 was appointed to the Board as Group General Manager and Executive Director. Under Hogg’s leadership, Becker became Australia’s largest independent television production, distribution and theatrical distribution company.
In 2001, Hogg moved to Singapore to join sports marketing and rights management company World Sport Television as CEO. In 2003, he founded Theatre Red which became a leading television production, distribution and internet company in Asia. After selling the business, Hogg returned to Australia in 2008, where he consulted to the Prime Media Group across its television and online assets, as well as acting Managing Director, Asia Pacific, MGM Worldwide Television.
FremantleMedia’s Asian operations were formerly managed by Patrick Schult who gave notice of his intent to leave the company earlier this year to pursue new interests and a different direction in his career.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors
About FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia is one of the leading creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world. FremantleMedia is part of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company, which is in turn 90 percent owned by Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's major media and entertainment companies. FremantleMedia’s worldwide production arm is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama and factual entertainment programmes. FremantleMedia Enterprises is the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment around the world. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes FremantleMedia North America, UFA, talkbackTHAMES, FremantleMedia Australia and Original Productions amongst others) has operations in 22 countries, one of the most comprehensive global networks, creating nearly 10,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 300 individual titles. FremantleMedia has some of the world’s most sought after and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally, produces such programmes as: Idols (co-produced with 19 Productions in the US), Hole In The Wall, Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), The X Factor (co-produced with Syco in the UK), Take Me Out, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife, Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten, and Neighbours.
www.fremantlemedia.com
For further information:
Blair Metcalfe, Ogilvy PR
Tel: +44 (0) 207 309 1024
Blair.metcalfe@uk.ogilvypr.com