A trio of senior international execs are taking their new Asia content-focused company to Mipcom Cannes.
Former Endemol Shine International and Fremantle boss Fotini Paraskakis, ex-Discovery Asia Pacific and EMEA President Arthur Bastings and Japanese media exec Shigero ‘Cindy’ Chino have joined forces to create Empire of Arkadia (EOA).
The privately-owned venture aims to bring Asian-inspired scripted and non-scripted content to the international stage, focused on stories that appeal to younger audiences. It will operate in co-development, co-production and distribution, working with creatives primarily on content that appeals to Get Z and young adults.
EOA launches with offices in London, Singapore and Tokyo, with bases in Seoul and Los Angeles planned for early 2023. It will debut at Mipcom with a slate of projects from Japan, South Korea, the UK and Europe.
Paraskakis launches the new business after exiting The Story Lab, where she was Managing Director for four years following a spell as Managing Director, Asia for Endemol Shine Group prior to its merger with Banijay. Further back, she was Fremantle’s Head of Content and has more than 30 years’ experience, working on formats such as MasterChef, Big Brother, The X Factor, Got Talent and Idols.
Bastings is known for leading Discovery’s Asia and Europe businesses. Recently he’d been running a start-up accelerator out of Singapore and California. He’s also built entertainment franchises for Warner Bros and MTV.
Chino is best known as the former Associate Managing Director International Business Development at Japan’s Nippon TV, and has brokered deals for formats such as Shark Tank and Block Out and scripted series Mother, Your Home Is My Business! and Woman.
“This is the perfect time to launch a company focusing on content for future generations,” said Paraskakis. “It really is an exciting and transformational period in the content industry, where literally anyone from anywhere has the opportunity for their stories to be seen worldwide. We will bring the best upcoming creators and Asian inspired stories with highest international appeal to market, fully focusing on fulfilling demands for Gen Z content, stories that speak to audiences worldwide and that will stay with us all as we move into the future.”