Deepak Dhar forms CreAsia Studio for South East Asia

Deepak Dhar, Founder & Group CEO - of Banijay Asia and EndemolShine India, announced Banijay Asia's strategic expansion into Southeast East Asia by forming 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 & Business Head of CreAsia Studio. She will report to Deepak Dhar and drive business strategy and growth in the key Southeast Asian markets – Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. An established Film/TV producer and studio executive, Jessica 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, Deepak 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. We're confident that Jessica's leadership will steer us toward 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 Southeast Asian entertainment sector."

Regarding her new innings, Jessica 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 this region's pool of creative talent, leveraging Banijay's world-class content production expertise and global distribution clout. I am looking forward to exciting collaborations with key regional players."

Kam-Engle 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 with notable commercial hits, 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, Kam-Engle 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 the feature film "The Garden Of Evening Mists." Before HBO, she was an independent film producer based in Beijing and Hong Kong from 2008 to 2016. She produced ten feature films during that time, including the critically acclaimed The Piano in a Factory.