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Turner appoints Marianne Lee as general entertainment head for Asia Pacific
MUMBAI: Turner International Asia Pacific has announced the appointment of Marianne Lee as its vice president-content, general entertainment. Lee will take over his new role, effective 2 May and will report directly to Turner International Asia Pacific president Ricky Ow.
In this role, she will define and execute content and channel strategy for Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific general entertainment brands. Her focus will include WarnerTV, and two special interest brands, TCM Turner Classic Movies and truTV.
WarnerTV is a recent addition to Turner’s Asia Pacific stable of brands that makes a bold statement and demonstrates Turner’s commitment to general entertainment and to audiences that are passionate about great television. With WarnerTV, the Turner portfolio now includes Asia Pacific’s best-loved brands in the news, kids and general entertainment genres.
Commenting on Lee’s appointment Ow said, “We’re delighted to welcome Marianne to the team. With WarnerTV now a Turner brand, she arrives at a critical time to build on its existing number one ranking and to develop our entertainment brand bouquet even further. Under her leadership, we can look forward to Turner’s entertainment channels scaling greater heights of audience appeal and excitement, as well as more new offerings.”
Lee will relocate to Hong Kong from Singapore, where she was most recently director of programming and acquisitions for Universal Networks International. There she was responsible for the overall program strategy in Asia, including program acquisitions, scheduling, format acquisitions and original productions.
Prior to Universal, Lee was senior director of programming at Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia, a company she was with for almost five years. This followed more than 10 years at Television Broadcasts Ltd in Hong Kong, where she garnered experience in ad sales, marketing and led the program acquisition team.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
