VIACOM INTERNATIONAL MEDIA NETWORKS ASIA NAMES TINA TONG AS MALAYSIA’S COUNTRY MANAGER
Newly-created leadership position to help with its growing local brand presence
MALAYSIA, 15 January 2013 – Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Asia, a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB) today announced that Tina Tong has been appointed to the position of Country Manager for its Malaysia operations, effective 7 January.
This is a newly created senior position, since the inception of the Malaysia operations in June 2011. In this role, Ms Tong will be responsible for driving profitable growth for the VIMN’s business in Malaysia. She will be responsible for the P&L management of all of Viacom International Media Networks’ businesses in Malaysia, across Viacom’s MTV, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. brands, while developing the long-term strategic plan in Malaysia. Ms Tong will report to Tan Chee Kiat (CK), Chief Operating Officer, Viacom International Media Networks, Asia.
“We are well positioned to accelerate the growth of our brands’ presence in Malaysia, as we continue to extend our product offering by bringing new channels into the market. Coupled with our focus to deliver more localised content to our audiences, I am excited about the leadership Tina will bring to the position that signals the importance and growing commitment Viacom International Media Networks Asia has towards Malaysia,” said Tan CK, Chief Operating Officer, Viacom International Media Networks Asia. “She is a strategic thinker, passionate about the media business, with a strong understanding of consumer demand. We believe these are the qualities that will lead us to further expand our presence and help serve our affiliates and clients better in Malaysia.”
Formerly with Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, Ms Tong brings with her more than 18 years of experience in the advertising and media industry. Most recently, she was Malaysia’s General Manager. Prior to that, she was the Group Account Director. In her seven-year tenure at Saatchi & Saatchi, she led the team to win Petron, F&N Dairies, Emirates accounts and grew the Procter & Gamble account the company held with Ariel/ Dynamo and Pampers. Ms Tong was also with Bates141, Leo Burnett, JWT, working with clients such as Shell, Caltex, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Nestlé and Unilever.
Malaysia continues to be a strategic market for VIMN, with the following recent successes in 2012:
- MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia that ran for the last four consecutive years, and broadcasted into over a half-billion homes. In the most recent show in 2012, the programme smashed all attendance records with over 16,000 people, who flocked to see global superstar Justin Bieber, K-pop sensations Jay Park and KARA, and local singer-songwriter Mizz Nina.
- Two locally-produced episodes of the hugely popular TV show, Pimp My Ride on MTV SEA, on Astro Channel 713. Co-hosted by the nation’s celebrated rapper Altimet and MTV VJ Rich, the programme saw vehicles undergoing major overhauls to become highway masterpieces which saw MTV SEA put a spin on car customization, turning road clunkers to pimped out rides with over-the-top transformations in the Malaysian version of Pimp My Ride.
- The launch of a new animated series, Akis on Nickelodeon for regional viewers that started in September 2012. A 12-episode series of two-minute stories regaling the adventures of the highly imaginative Akis, a seven-year-old girl with a sugary sweet voice who loves to play-pretend all the time. The series is the first Malaysian animation production to be commissioned by Nickelodeon, created and produced by Malaysia’s top digital animation production company, Inspidea. It also offers Malaysia viewers a second option of Bahasa Malaysia audio.
- A 1st of its kind joint media partnership between Nickelodeon and AirAsia, which saw the launch of a multi-platform campaign designed to educate kids about responsible flying and kids-friendly Asian destinations and culture. Through this campaign, Nickelodeon introduced Ace, mascot for AirAsia’s kids-oriented SkyRider Club, to audiences in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, through Nickelodeon-produced on-air and online content and on-the-ground events in Singapore and Philippines. Additionally, a series of Nick Jingles were created that featured local Malaysian celebrities like Aliff Aziz, Alif Satar and Yung.
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About Viacom International Media Networks
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is comprised of many of the world’s most popular multimedia entertainment brands, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Channel, VH1, VIVA, COLORS, Game One and Tr3s: MTV, Música y Más. Viacom brands are seen globally in more than 600 million households in 170 territories and 37 languages via more than 200 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 550 digital media and mobile TV properties. For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom’s blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.
Media Contact:
Viacom International Media Networks
Adeline Ong, Senior Director, Corporate Communications, Asia
t: (65) 6420 7240 m: (65) 9366 7323
e: adeline.ong@vimn.com