Banijay Asia's Deepak Dhar forms CreAsia Studio for expansion into SouthEast Asia

Deepak Dhar, Founder and Group CEO, Banijay Asia and EndemolShine India, announced Banijay Asia’s expansion into South East Asia, with the formation of a new entity – CreAsia Studio.

With a focus on local collaborations to create local originals and produce local Banijay IP adaptations, he announced the appointment of Jessica Kam-Engle as the EVP and Business Head of CreAsia Studio. She will report to Dhar and be responsible for driving business strategy and growth in the key markets of SouthEast Asia – Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand.

An established Film/TV producer and studio executive, Kam-Engle has more than 20 years of experience working in the region, with brands like Disney+, HBO Asia, Warner Media Entertainment Networks, MTV Networks/Viacom, MGM Gold Network, Dow Jones Newswires, and Celestial Pictures.

Talking about the development, Dhar said, “Given Jessica’s unparalleled experience in the Asian market, Banijay’s global IPs and marquee concepts, exciting local collaborations and a focus on India as a production hub for the region, CreAsia Studio is our next growth engine.” He further added, “We’re confident of Jessica’s leadership to steer us towards a leading presence in the region. Her appointment is also a testament to our commitment to tapping into newer markets and diversifying our portfolio in the vibrant South East Asian entertainment sector.”

Talking about her new innings, Kam-Engle said, "It’s my privilege to join the  Banijay family, and I am excited to lead the strategic expansion in South East Asia. There are vast opportunities to develop local and global IPs with the pool of creative talent from this region, leveraging Banijay’s world-class content production expertise and its global distribution clout.  I am looking forward to exciting collaborations with key players in the region.”

She was most recently Head of Content and Development for Disney+ in APAC, during which she commissioned more than 60 scripted and non-scripted original series across the region including Korean dramas Moving, Big Bet, Connect; Japanese live action Gannibal; Chinese series Taiwan Crime Stories, Delicacies Destiny; and Bahasa series Wedding Agreement, Mendua, Call My Agent, Teluh Darah.

In 2017-2021, she was Head of Original Production for HBO Asia overseeing its original productions across Asia in 10 languages, including TV series like Workers, Invisible Stories, The Talwars: Behind Closed Doors, Folklore, Food Lore, Grisse, The Teenage Psychic 2, and feature film The Garden Of Evening Mists.

Prior to HBO, she had been an independent film producer, based out of Beijing and Hong Kong from 2008 to 2016, during which time she produced 10 feature films including The Piano in a factory.

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