Aiming to up the gender diversity game plan, the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) yesterday said that its OTT Summit, to be held in Singapore later this year, will be a women-first event.

The industry association added that one of the most visible and fundamental forms of representation is that of gender, and the issue of gender representation and increasing female empowerment in the video industry has been one of its priorities since inception.

“I am not sure that just discussing and highlighting the issue (of gender diversity and adequate female representation) is sufficient. So, it’s time for something different. On December 5, at the Voco Orchard Hotel, Singapore, we want to hold a Women First OTT Summit. We want to have as high a representation of women on stage that day as we can. That doesn’t mean no men, but it does mean, as the name says – women first,” AVIA CEO Louis Boswell said.

Writing in the latest edition of the association’s newsletter Pulse, made public yesterday, he further explained: “We have seen and celebrated the rise of many extraordinary women in the video industry, and there is no shortage of women in the industry at large. Yet, we have to acknowledge that an imbalance exists at senior levels in many companies. Clearly it is not a problem for all companies, but it is still a problem for many.

Citing a Deloitte’s Women in the Boardroom Report, Boswell said women occupy just 20 percent of board seats globally, and continue to be excluded from the highest levels of corporate leadership. The report also revealed a clear correlation between women in top leadership roles and women in the boardroom.

“While this is ultimately an issue for each company to address, we have a responsibility to highlight the issue and to push for greater gender representation. Our proactive approach over the last six years has led to dedicated gender equality events, insightful webinars, and thought- provoking discussions including new voices at numerous conferences.

 “We have held enough events with an over-representation of men, so it doesn’t feel unfair to me that for this one event, we actively seek an over-representation of women. I am excited (and a little daunted) by the prospect, but with the support of all of you, I believe we can have one of the best OTT Summits we have ever had,” Boswell explained.

The December 5 OTT Summit will look into 2023 that could well be remembered as streaming’s year of reckoning. Following the seemingly overnight paradigm shift in 2022, it has been a year of swimming upstream marked by a continuous flow of transitions as investors demand better margins, AVIA said.