Luke KANG has been assigned president of the Walt Disney Company for the Asia-Pacific region, as a Disney veteran, he will report to Rebecca Campbell, chairman of international operations and direct-to-consumer, will oversee the company’s business in Australia/New Zealand, Greater China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. A new India head seems will be announced near the new year.
About 2 months ago, the company announced the departure of Uday Shankar, president of Disney Asia-Pacific and chairman of Star and Disney India, which becomes effective from Dec. 31.
At present, he is executive VP and managing director of Disney for the North Asia grouping of Greater China, Japan, and Korea, with direct country management of mainland China and Japan.
Luke has been in his current position since a split of Disney’s Asia business into North and South divisions in April 2017, and then another reshuffle in April 2019 at which time Shankar promoted many of his Fox executives.
At the beginning of 2021, Rebecca Campbell will name a separate India head, she made the announcement to staff. In the interim period, the India business will be headed by K Madhavan, head of Star, and Sunil Ryan, head of Disney Plus Hotstar India, with both reporting directly to her.