The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) has appointed a new Chief Policy Officer to be based in its Singapore office, a first for the role.

Celeste Campbell-Pitt will join AVIA on May 3, 2021, initially joining the regulatory team led by present Chief Policy Officer John Medeiros, who will be retiring after a transition period, an official statement from the Asian trade organization said yesterday.

Medeiros, who is based in Hong Kong, joined the Association in 2005 as Vice President of Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs when it was known as CASBAA. He has been Chief Policy Officer since 2013.

A key focus of AVIA is to represent the combined positions of its members and engage in constructive dialogue with governments so they may better understand the curated video industry and foster an environment of support for the growth of the industry.

The Chief Policy Officer spearheads this goal, developing and executing policy initiatives relevant to the video industry, in consultation with and on behalf of AVIA member companies.

The role of the Chief Policy Officer has evolved over the years and has become a lot more critical as regulatory policies continue to develop alongside the sweeping changes the video industry has seen in recent years in APAC.

“This role is absolutely critical for AVIA and we have taken a long time to find the right person. While taking over from John, who has made the role his own, will be no easy task, I am delighted that we have found Celeste who has such a passion for the industry and a clear vision for how to build and develop the role,” the statement quoted Louis Boswell, CEO, AVIA, as saying.

Campbell-Pitt comes with over 20 years of business and legal experience in the media and entertainment industry across both Europe and Asia.

Prior to joining AVIA, she was consulting with various global media and technology companies as well as private equity firms who were looking to expand into the Asia Pacific region.

Campbell-Pitt was previously the Vice President and Head of Business Development and Advertising Sales at Discovery Networks Asia Pacific, after her stint at Endemol Shine Asia Group as the Director and Head of Commercial and Operations. She has also held Senior Legal Counsel positions in international media companies, including Star, Turner and Channel Four in the UK.

AVIA member-companies are spread across Asia, including India, and comprise stakeholders across the media, entertainment and technology industries.