Chinese streamer iQiyi is in the process of setting up operations in Australia and New Zealand via local partner Sun Entertainment Production.
Sun has announced the appointment of former Sony Music Asia Pacific executive vice president of Gavin Parry as chief executive officer to lead the local branches of iQiyi in the regions.
iQiyi is one of the world’s largest video streaming services with a global audience of over 500 million monthly active users consuming up to 6 billion hours of content per month. The business is floated on the US NASDAQ.
Parry said he expected the brand to be “very successful” in Australia and New Zealand.
“iQiyi has recently rolled out its innovative service in South East Asia and North America,” he said.
“The video service is world class, with a multi-billion dollar per annum investment in original content production,” he said.
“It will deliver a deep, content-rich catalogue for the local Asian community including world-renowned drama series, movies, variety shows and documentaries, not just from China, but from across the broader APAC region.”
Sun has also appointed entertainment marketing specialist Greg Tremain who joins the Sun team via his Partnership Solutions business.
Tremain will lead the Business Development team, working with major brands and agency groups looking to reach and engage the Asian community.
He will also be work with telco’s, hardware partners, and major brands to identify opportunities for subscription bundling, content syndication, and brand partnerships.
Tremain said iQiyi provided an opportunity for cultural marketing teams and brands to reach the Asian communities in Australia and New Zealand.
“The premium nature of the content and its ability to reach audiences across multiple platforms and devices are capturing the immediate attention of many of the country’s largest advertisers,” he said.
Earlier this year, Sun Entertainment Production put the call out for marketing, content and social media specialists to “drive the iQiyi business” in the ANZ markets.