Active hires for Asian growth

Asia Pacific prodco Active TV has added three names to its management team, including a former Ten Alps Asia executive who becomes its new development chief.

Marc Checkley

Marc Checkley has been appointed as head of development (Asia) and will be responsible for content creation and new business and partnerships across the region. He replaces Rob Khoo, who is leaving to pursue other interests.

Checkley was previously group editor of television and entertainment at Ten Alps Asia. His credits also include Inside New Zealand for TV3, Shortland Street for TVNZ and Mediacorp’s Gotcha.

Also joining Active is Kay Lawrence, as group general manager of the company’s activities across Asia Pacific. She was previously general manager at McMahon International and also worked for 15 years at Jonathan M Shiff Productions in Australia. Her credits include four seasons of Bafta-winning Ocean Girl.

Stella Wong has also joined Active TV as head of finance.

Based out of Melbourne and Singapore, Active’s credits include Cash Cab Asia for AXN; the Israeli, Asian and Australian editions of The Amazing Race; and Prank Patrol for ABC3.

Michael McKay, president of Active TV, said the company is now focusing on building relationships between Australia and Asia, and with its US-based partners including The Amazing Race co-creator Bertram van Munster.

The Asian TV industry is “heading into a great period of change, growth and opportunity,” McKay said. “Commissioned programming is still fundamental to our business, as is acquiring international formats, but creating our own fresh formats and exporting them internationally is becoming more important.”