FIC adds commercial execs for Asia channels push

Fox International Channels has added a pair of executives for its Asia Pacific and Middle East businesses, one a long-serving head of network distribution at India’s NDTV.

Helena Choe has begun her role as VP, syndication, while Rahul Sood is joining in December to become VP, affiliate sales and commercial. Both roles at new for 21^st Century Fox-owned FIC.

The news comes days after FIC announced its long-serving UK-based programming exec Jason Thorp was exiting the company.

Choe has begun work at FIC’s Hong Kong office, working with channel and business development teams and local country managers to create regional syndication policies and grow distribution of the firm’s sports, factual and entertainment channels.

She was formerly managing director of sports rights management firm Sportfive International and was previously VP, digital media for IMG Media.

Sood will be based in Singapore, where he will be responsible for sales and channel development in new markets across the APAC and Middle East region. In particular, he will seek to extend distribution of Chinese channels such as movie network SCM.

He has spent the past decade at news broadcaster NDTV as head of affiliate sales and network distribution. Prior to that, he was executive director, affiliate sales for Turner Broadcasting System.

Both report into Alex Lambeek, executive VP, affiliate partnerships and syndication for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, who said: “Their appointments serve to demonstrate our commitment to work closely with our affiliate partners to further FIC’s presence across Asia Pacific and the Middle East.”