10 June 2015 - Robert Gilby, MD of The Walt Disney Company South East Asia

Post date: May 14, 2015 6:07:06 PM

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THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Disney is one of the most active and largest global entertainment companies in the region with diversified businesses in film, consumer products, publishing, mobile content, television and family entertainment overseeing content from six key brands: Disney, Pixar, Marvel, ESPN, ABC and Lucasfilm. The Disney name has symbolized creativity, innovation, trust, decency, optimism and quality.

The Walt Disney Company has been active in Southeast Asia (11 markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, The Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myammar, Brunei and Cameroon Islands) since 1995 when Disney Channel first launched in Malaysia and has grown to five offices in the region (Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines with the headquarters in Singapore), employing close to 280 permanent staff.

Studio Entertainment (Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture International) is responsible for distributing and marketing Disney’s animated features and live action films on the big screen. WDSMPI distributes films under several banners which include, Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, DisneyToon Studios, Touchstone Pictures and Hollywood Pictures as well as motion pictures from other studios, to cinemas across the region. 2013 saw the box office success of Marvel’s Iron Man 3 overtaking all other studios to be the biggest release in history. Iron Man 3 also ranks as the biggest opening weekend of all times in all key Southeast Asian markets (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand).

Outside of US, Singapore is also the base for Lucasfilm’s largest development center. Lucasfilm Singapore was launched in October 2005 and has worked with schools and other companies in the region to promote the digital entertainment business in the country and the region. The company has also established major technical training programs from the start, connecting local talent with industry veterans at Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic. Lucasfilm Singapore currently has over 360 employees. It has grown into a digital entertainment powerhouse within the region, making significant contributions on the 2011 Academy Award-winning animated feature film Rango, and the Emmy-winning television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. In addition, Industrial Light & Magic Singapore has contributed to cutting edge work on a myriad of blockbusters such as the second, third and fourth installments of the Pirates of the Caribbean, the Transformers trilogy, Marvel franchises including Iron Man and The Avengers and the new Star Trek films just to mention a few.

Television is a key driver in growing the Disney brand in the region. Disney Channels Southeast Asia is responsible for the management, creative development and commercial operations of the

three Disney-branded channels available across the region: Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD. The company also distributes Disney owned programs and channels to television, mobile, broadband and on-demand platforms to over 20 Southeast Asian providers including terrestrial broadcasters, pay-TV and channels as well as digital platforms.

From apparel and toys to food and stationery, Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the world’s leading licensor and works with over 400 licensees across all product categories in Southeast Asia for all ages and lifestyles. Disney Publishing is active in 6 countries in 6 different languages in Southeast Asia, publishing a diverse range of products in the region including story, activity and e-books, magazines and comics that reach a wide demographic from pre-schoolers to pre-teens and adults.

Disney Interactive, one of the world’s largest creators of high-quality interactive entertainment across all current and emerging digital media platforms releases and operates products and content include blockbuster mobile, social and console games, online virtual worlds, and #1-ranked web destinations Disney.com and the Moms and Family network of websites. For more information, please visit Disney.com.sg.

ROBERT GILBY

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Robert Gilby is the Managing Director, The Walt Disney Company South East Asia, reporting to Paul Candland, President, The Walt Disney Company, Asia.

Appointed in December 2011, Mr. Gilby is responsible for driving the company’s strategy, coordinating and leading all Disney business divisions, overseeing Disney global franchises, expanding existing businesses and seeking out new business opportunities across the region with a focus on Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Expanding the brand internationally is the cornerstone of Disney’s growth strategy. By creating a fully integrated business across Southeast Asia region under Mr. Gilby’s leadership, the company aims to harness the market opportunity and deliver on strategic priorities generating significant growth.

Mr. Gilby joined The Walt Disney Company in January 2006 as Managing Director of Disney Channels in the United Kingdom, Scandinavia & Emerging Markets. In this role, he had overall responsibility for the Disney Channels’ portfolio of channels. Since January 2008, he was the MD for Disney Media Distribution Asia Pacific. He has been a driving force in the extraordinary growth for Disney Media Distribution’s content distribution business, working collaboratively with distribution partners throughout the region to develop new, innovative business models and delivery methods across a variety of platforms.

Prior to Disney, Mr. Gilby worked at Turner Entertainment Networks Asia since 2000 where he was Vice President, Network Development and Strategic Marketing responsible for all marketing and strategic development activities for Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Turner Classic Movies across Asia Pacific. He joined Turner as Head of Business Development in Asia Pacific responsible for strategy, M&A, new channel & digital business development.

Mr. Gilby was elected to the Board of Directors of CASBAA in the Asia Pacific region and The Movie Network Channels in Australia. A qualified Chartered Accountant and consultant, he started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Entertainment & Media group and has worked in London, Hong Kong and Tokyo.