Nippon names int’l business MD

Japan’s Nippon TV has named Kako Kuwahara as managing director of its recently restructured international business development (IBD) arm.

Kuwahara (pictured) will be at MIPCOM representing he leading Japanese broadcaster in her new role, looking for what the network called “formidable partners”.

In her new role, she will remain in Tokyo and report to Nippon TV IBD president Atsushi Hatayama.

Kuwahara has worked in the international business unit since 2015, after stints in the Nippon production, PR, sales and pay TV businesses.

She is credited with bringing content from K-pop stars Tohoshinki to Nippon’s pay TV platforms and SVOD service, Hulu Japan. This is credited with drawing in record numbers of new subscribers.

Kuwahara has also been overseeing the Sont Pictures Television Network joint venture channel GEM in Southeast Asia for the past two years, and pushed for a streamlined rights clearing process to bolster Nippon’s international sales.

“We believe that with the leadership, devotion and expertise of Kako our IBD division will continue to strengthen as we further expand our footprint in the international marketplace,” said Hatayama.

In June, Nippon handed veteran executive Yoshio Nakayama control of the IBD division.

IBD president Hatayama now reports into Nakayama, who in turn reports to Nippon president and CEO Yoshio Okubo.

Nippon’s key formats include Dragon’s Den, which has been remade more than 30 times internationally, and scripted drama Mother.