DAVID ASTLEY – Chairman and CEO

David was the Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) prior to joining The Media Alliance – a position that he held from July 2002 to April 2010. David started his career as a print media journalist in the UK and moved into the electronic media whilst working in Australia where he managed several regional television and radio networks, including six years as Managing Director of two listed media companies. In 1997 he moved to Asia where he worked in management services and business development in the pay-TV sector, before joining the ABU which provided exposure to the government and public broadcasting sectors. David has overseen media development projects throughout the Asia-Pacific region, and is a regular speaker at global conferences on the role of media in improving quality of life in developing countries through social awareness and behavior change campaigns. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of New England, NSW, Australia.

ROBERT CHUA – Director

Robert Chua is Chairman and Founder of the Health & Lifestyle Channel (HLC). He is a media industry veteran having worked in television production and distribution in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and China since the age of 17. He is often described as one of the pioneers of television in Asia. In 1967 he helped launch TVB Hong Kong’s first terrestrial channel and become the executive producer of the station’s longest running live entertainment show. In 1994 Robert founded the satellite channel CETV to broadcast across China, and in 2003 launched Asia’s first cross-media interactive channel TIC for which he was awarded the AFDESI Best International Interactive Enhanced Television Award in Cannes in 2006. He is a Guest Professor of News and Media Studies at Nanjing University. Robert considers himself a social entrepreneur’ and is well known for his passionate advocacy for socially responsible content and advertising in the context of his belief that television should be a service to society.

AXEL AGUIRRE – Director

Axel Aguirre is a corporate executive and legal counsel with extensive experience in the fields of broadcast media, commercial law, corporate management and public policy in the Asia-Pacific region. He has experience in handling highly complex commercial transactions involving multiple parties across the globe. He is currently Managing Director of Broadcast Media Enterprise Pty Ltd, based in Melbourne, Australia, and prior to that was Legal Counsel for the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. His earlier professional experience included eight years as Vice President, Corporate Services, for Nation Broadcasting Corporation in the Philippines, ten years in legal and contract management roles with Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, and two and a half years in the Office of the Solicitor General of the Republic of the Philippines. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines.

VANESSA CHING – Director

Vanessa Ching is a senior media executive with 15 years at the intersection of content and technology and experience in building partnerships and helping broadcasters to navigate the media ecosystem effectively for Live TV and TV Everywhere. Vanessa is based in Singapore as a Vice-President of a UK broadcast infrastructure company, overseeing partnerships, marketing and communications in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East. Previously Vanessa held positions at a satellite/content service provider, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union and an internet startup. In her capacity as a non-executive director of The Media Alliance, Vanessa seeks to galvanise the broadcasting and advertising sectors to collaborate on and communicate CSR best practices via traditional and new media platforms, as well as work on content-related projects. Vanessa is also a co-founder of the Filmcamp Network, a network of filmmakers and content creators.