Avia adds fresh firepower to its board

SINGAPORE: The Asia Video Industry Association (Avia) has slipped two new power players into its boardroom, adding extra muscle as the region’s video business hurtles through yet another bout of disruption.

In a brisk end-of-year shake-up announced in Singapore on 9 December, the association confirmed the election of JioStar executive vice president for public policy and legal K Aravamudhan,  and Media Partners Asia co-founder, CEO and executive director Vivek Couto. Both arrive with deep policy chops and industry smarts — and both are expected to add momentum to Avia’s push in a market where the ground rarely stops shifting.

The lobbying body also rolled out the red carpet once more for four familiar faces: Pubmatic vice president for international marketing Emily Yri,; TVBI- GM and  and TVB  deputy GM (legal and international operations) Desmond Chan; The Walt Disney Company vice president for global public policy, Asia Pacific Joe Welch; and Warner Bros Discovery head of strategy, partnerships and insights – APAC Shonali Bedi. Their re-election signals continuity at a time when streaming, linear TV and advertising are all locked in a noisy tug-of-war.

At the same time, Avia tipped its hat to outgoing directors Astro, chief content officer  Agnes Rozario, and Brightcove former senior director for strategy APAC Greg Armshaw,  thanking them for service during a period that turned the video ecosystem inside out.

The association — which fronts industry interests, squares up to piracy through its Coalition Against Piracy (CAP), and churns out research and forums — clearly believes its refreshed board will help it navigate the next wave of battles.

Avia may bang the drum for a stronger, healthier video sector, but with the industry morphing by the minute, it will need every ounce of strategic grit its board can muster. The new line-up signals one thing: the fight for Asia’s video future is very much still live — and Avia plans to stay in the frame till the final cut.