Sony Music Entertainment picks new MD for SG, MY and Vietnam

Sony Music Entertainment (SME) has picked Kenny Ong (pictured) as its new managing director for Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Special Projects Southeast Asia, effective immediately.

The appointment comes at a time when "Asia is experiencing robust and continued growth" where revenue grew by 15.4%, SME said in a statement. 

In his new role, Ong will spearhead the company's expansion and strategic development across the dynamic and rapidly growing entertainment landscape in the region. He will also champion the careers of Southeast Asian artists. 

Don't miss: How brands can maximise the effectiveness of their music marketing spend 

Other responsibilities of his include building the music merchandising presence in Southeast Asia across offline and online retail and finding and securing new partnership opportunities, identifying new IP rights opportunities, and identifying non-traditional revenue-driving opportunities.

Prior to joining SME, Ong was CEO of Astro Radio and director of Astro Media Solutions. Ong also took up the role of chairman at the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia and was managing director of Malaysia, Singapore and Indochina at Universal Music Group. 

Shridhar Subramaniam, president of corporate strategy and market development Asia and Middle East, SME added, “With a proven track record of forging partnerships, driving audience engagement and putting artists first, Ong possesses a deep understanding of the diverse cultural nuances and musical preferences and we are delighted to welcome him.”

“I am thrilled to join Sony Music Entertainment at this pivotal juncture and look forward to leveraging my experience to unlock the immense potential of Southeast Asia's vibrant entertainment market and highlighting the brilliant talent of our Southeast Asian artists,” said Ong.

“Together, we will create compelling experiences and forge meaningful connections with artists and audiences across the region through the power of collaboration and musicality," he continued. 

A+M has reached out to SME for more information. 

In fact, a report by Research Nester titled "Digital audio workstation market size, growth trends 2023-2035" revealed that the digital audio market in Asia Pacific is also estimated to have the highest share of 29% by the end of 2035.

This growth could be attributed to the growing number of musicians in this region. Furthermore, the consumption of mobile phones in this region is high and mobile phones are the largest used gadgets for streaming music.  

Join us this coming 24 - 25 April for #Content360, a two-day extravaganza centered around four core thematic pillars: Explore with AI; Insight-powered strategies; Content as an experience; and Embrace the future. Immerse yourself in learning to curate content with creativity, critical thinking, and confidence with us at Content360!

Related articles:
Study: 49% of marketers expect to increase ad spend on podcasts 
EU clamps down on AI-generated music and deepfakes on music streaming platforms
SCOP3 Group names new managing director