Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has appointed two key executives, Ross Pollack as svp of business development, Asia, and John Fukunaga, svp of sales planning.
This moves Pollack, formerly SPTIs svp of sales planning from Los Angeles to Hong Kong, SPTIs Asia regional headquarters in Hong Kong as of Dec. 5, 2003, reporting directly to Dewy Ip, SPTI's svp/md, Asia Pollack will work closely with SPTIs regional team to identify and develop new business opportunities in Asia in the areas of licensing, international production and international networks.
We are extremely pleased to have Ross join our team in Hong Kong, said Ip. With his clear understanding of our three primary lines of business and his experience in several key areas of the company, he will be an asset to the region. We look forward to developing new business opportunities under his guidance.
Fukunaga, who continues to be based in Los Angeles now reports to Peter Iacono, evp of distribution will oversee licensing of SPE programming to free and basic television channels internationally with a significant role in negotiating license agreements, devising and implementing sales strategies, overseeing acquisitions for SPTI and managing SPTIs budgeting and finance functions. Fukunaga was svp and assoc general counsel of the corporate/international legal department of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). He comes to SPTI with a strong knowledge of its core businesses, having served as one of SPTI's primary attorneys in that position
We are thrilled to be able to tap into Johns expertise in his new position, said Iacono. Johns extensive experience at SPE, his intimate knowledge of the international television marketplace and his exceptional talent as a strategic negotiator make him ideal for his new role.
While working with Iacono in sales planning, Pollack helped to lead the division's strong growth in its international licensing business while participating in and negotiating key television licensing deals in Austral-Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East. Previously, he was SPEs svp , international human resources and operations from 1998 to 2000, and was vp, total rewards, from 1996 to 1998.
Prior to joining SPE, Pollack was md of Buck Consultants in Hong Kong from 1993 to 1996. Previously at Hewitt Associates, Pollack was first an international human resources consultant from 1987 to 1990 based in Chicago and Santa Ana, California, then became manager, international consulting at Hewitt Associates Tokyo office.
During Fukunagas tenure in SPEs legal department, in addition to advising SPTI on numerous key deals, he worked on and oversaw a number of corporate transactions for SPE. He also spent 18 months in SPEs London office as vp, legal affairs Europe where he helped establish SPEs legal presence in Europe and devoted most of his time to advising SPTI on its European deals.
Prior To Joining SPE, Fukunaga was a transactional attorney in the business law department at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walkers Los Angeles office from October 1989 to May 1994.
