France’s Marathon to open Asian office

France’s Marathon Media is launching an Asian office and has hired Stéphane Aldebert to run it.

The Zodiak Kids-owned production company will open the office in Hong Kong as it looks to expand its business across the region. This comes after it recently inked a coproduction deal with Asian animation studio Scrawl to produce France Télévisions and Disney Channel France’s Star Princess.

The company also produces around 60 episodes a year in South Korea and comes on the back of series including Tickety Toc, coproduced with The Foundation and Korea’s Funny Flux Entertainment.

Aldebert, who was previously director of development at Marathon, will become regional director, Asia. Before joining Marathon, he held roles at French animation companies Method Films and Amuse Films.

“Our move into Asia is the next logical step in our strategy of rapprochement with the region where we already enjoy some excellent relationships with top-flight industry players. The decision to open an office there became an obvious choice because today it is the region with the highest growth in the world, said Vincent Chalvon Demersay, CEO, Marathon Media. “Stéphane will be able to reach out to our partners across the entire region, notably in Singapore South Korea and Japan.”