Shine signs Ashcroft for Asia push

News Corp-owned Shine is boosting its distribution business in Asia Pacific by appointing a Viacom sales exec as its first senior VP for the region.

Matthew Ashcroft joins Shine International in the newly created role from Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), where he was its Singapore-based director of Asia Pacific programme sales for four years.

In his new role, based at Shine’s Australian office, he will be charged with exploiting finished programming and formats across all platforms. Shine’s catalogue includes The Biggest Loser, The Family, One Born Every Minute, Clash of the Choirs and MasterChef.

Ashcroft will work with Cyrus Farrokh, format division Shine Network’s director of international distribution, and the as-yet unnamed head of Shine International.

Shine said the latter role, vacated when former president Chris Grant left the firm earlier this year amid a restructure that saw Shine International relocating from LA to London, was still in the process of being filled.

Besides VIMN, Ashcroft has held roles at Entertainment Rights, Content Television (fka Fireworks International) and Australian pubcaster ABC, where he began his TV career.

Shine Group president Alex Mahon said Ashcroft had “built an outstanding reputation” in Asia Pacific over the past 15 years.

His appointment comes after Shine International drafted in ITV Studios Global Entertainment exec Noel Hedges to head a dedicated acquisitions team to boost its output. Shine International currently sells more than 3,000 hours of scripted and non-scripted content annually.

Last week, Shine appointed Warner Bros International Television exec Claudia Danser as Shine Network’s MD.