A+E Networks has promoted Youngsun Soh to senior VP and MD of A+E Korea, and John Flanagan to senior VP and MD of A+E Japan & Southeast Asia.
Saugato “Shoggy” Banerjee, who currently serves as MD of A+E Asia, is leaving the company from Sept. 30.
The moves, intended to bolster operations in Asia, were announced Monday by Patrick Vien, group MD, A+E International and Steve MacDonald, president, global licensing & international.
Based in Seoul, and reporting to Vien, Soh will continue to lead the growth of A+E’s business in Korea. She has led the unit since joining the company in 2017 as GM and oversaw the launch of History and Lifetime linear channels.
A+E Korea has since expanded as a producer of unscripted and scripted content in Korea across formats and media. Titles have included scripted shows Backstreet Rookie, Dramaworld, and Woori the Virgin, and digital hit, Nego King. In 2022, the company also produced the Korean drama series If You Wish Upon Me in collaboration with A+E Studios.
Soh joined A+E Networks from Twitter Korea, where she served as Market Director, and before that BBC Worldwide Channels Asia, and as portfolio executive for the BBC in London.
Tokyo-based Flanagan will continue to lead the growth of A+E’s business in Japan, where he has been GM. Flanagan will add oversight of A+E Southeast Asia, which recently shifted its business to an affiliate distribution-focused model, to continue to build upon and maximize presence of the company’s content brands across linear and digital distribution including The History Channel, Lifetime and C+I.
In addition to the A+E Japan team, also reporting to Flanagan will be Salawati (Wati) Mohammed, head of distribution & partnership development, A+E SEA. Pamela Tan, regional head of finance, A+E SEA, will partner with Wati in managing the local team on a day-to-day basis.
“We are extremely grateful for Shoggy’s entrepreneurial efforts over the years, which helped create so many achievements in our linear businesses in Southeast Asia. He was integral to the launch of our multi-faceted media business in Korea and the re-invention of our business in Japan. His many accomplishments at A+E leave us in great stead to pursue our vision to expand A+E Networks’ footprint even further throughout the region,” said MacDonald.