Former HBO Asia chief executive Jonathan Spink has joined Taiwan’s Catchplay as its principle advisor. He will guide the Asian streamer in strategic discussions regarding content and OTT partnerships in Korea, China and Southeast Asia.
Based in Taipei, Catchplay is a theatrical distributor and film investor, which launched a streaming service, Catchplay Plus, in 2016. The service now operates in Taiwan, Singapore and Indonesia, with a membership base of 7 million, although it hasn’t disclosed the number of paying subscribers.
Spink worked at HBO Asia for 16 years before the recent restructuring at WarnerMedia following its acquisition by AT&T. During his tenure, HBO Asia entered production of local-language originals including The Teenage Psychic, Folklore and Halfworlds.
“It is such an honour that Jonathan is joining us,” said Catchplay group CEO Daphne Yang. “His leadership has been greatly admired in the industry. I believe his wealth of knowledge and insights will be a tremendous boost for us in shaping strategic direction and seeking growth opportunities.”
Catchplay collaborated with HBO Asia on Taiwanese drama series The World Between Us and is currently co-producing drama series Trinity Of Shadows with HBO Asia and HKTVE.
Spink said: “Catchplay has also been at the forefront of some of the best original programming produced in recent years and I’m delighted to offer any assistance I can in the next chapter of their evolution.”