Chinese streaming giant iQIYI has appointed Kelvin Yau as the new vice president of international business department and general manager of iQIYI Thailand. Yau will oversee the company’s strategic growth, operations and overall development in Thailand, and begin in early 2020.
Yau comes to iQIYI from BBC Studios, where he was since 2015 the senior vice president and general manager of Greater China. Before that, he worked for The Economist Group, Euromoney Publications PLC, and other firms.
“Kelvin is a pioneer with innovative spirit and global experience. His deep management skills in business and brand building, localizing customers and users services will bring more international experience and creativity to iQIYI and accelerate the pace of our international market business development together,” said Yang Xianghua, president of iQIYI’s Membership and Overseas Business Group.
“Kelvin and the Thailand team will introduce our brand concept to the market and bring our rich and diversified entertainment services to more users,” said Yang Xianghua, president of iQIYI’s membership and overseas business group, who praised his “global experience.” The hire would “bring more international experience and creativity to iQIYI” and “accelerate the pace of our international market business development,” Yang said.
“I believe that technology will play an increasingly important role in global operations and international user services,” said Yau, who said he looked forward to “launching more technology, content and partnership initiatives to meet local needs” and to bringing iQIYI’s platform to the international market “step by step.”
In November, the firm launched outside of Greater China for the first time in Malaysia via a partnership with Malaysian satellite TV operator Astro. Currently, its app provides content and search functions in numerous Asian languages, including Thai, Malay, Indonesian and Vietnamese, “laying the foundation for broader expansion and localized services,” the Chinese company said in a statement.