Abu Dhabi Media Company appoints Edward Borgerding CEO

Abu Dhabi Media Company has appointed Edward Borgerding as its Chief Executive Officer. The announcement was made by His Excellency Mohamed Khalaf Al-Mazrouei, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Media Company, a diversified media and entertainment conglomerate which is based in the United Arab Emirates’ capital.

”We believe Mr. Borgerding has the right balance of industry know-how, entrepreneurial spirit, management experience and understanding of the region,” says His Excellency Mr. Mazrouei. “The media industry in the Middle East and North Africa region - and particularly in the Gulf - is entering an exciting phase and we believe that with Edward Borgerding’s leadership we can pioneer a new era of media.”

Commenting on his appointment, Borgerding said: “Abu Dhabi Media Company, with its strong portfolio of integrated assets, is well-positioned to lead this fast growing sector through content creation, distribution and strategic partnerships at home and in the international arena.”

In his new role, Borgerding takes responsibility for some of the most valuable brands in the MENA region. These include the leading women’s magazine Zahrat Al Khaleej, Majid, Al Super and Al Ittihad newspaper, together with a suite of TV and radio channels including Abu Dhabi TV and Emarat FM. He will also oversee the launch of Abu Dhabi’s first English language newspaper next month.

Previously, Borgerding was Executive Vice President of Walt Disney International in Hong Kong and Senior Vice President of Walt Disney International Television in Hong Kong and London.

At Disney International, Borgerding oversaw the operating units of the Walt Disney Company in the Asia Pacific region, including India and the Middle East from 1998 to 2000. This included television, home video, consumer products, digital media, theatrical distribution and Disney Channels. In 1995, he established the first Disney Channel outside the USA, in Taiwan. Two years later, he opened the Disney Channel in Dubai and in Australia.g established a private equity firm in London and recently concluded the production of a 26 episode television series with Marvel Entertainment.

Tags: Abu Dhabi Media Company, Appointments, Edward Borgerding, Mohamed Khalaf Al-Mazrouei

Abu Dhabi Media Company appoints Ricky Ghai as Executive Director of Digital Media

Abu Dhabi Media Company, a diversified media and entertainment conglomerate based in the United Arab Emirates’ capital, has appointed Ricky Ghai as Executive Director of Digital Media.

‘Ricky Ghai joins Abu Dhabi Media Company to lead a new digital media age across the MENA region and particularly in the GCC,’ said Edward Borgerding, CEO, Abu Dhabi Media Company.

Commenting on his partnership with the recently appointed CEO, Ghai said: “We have exciting plans for digital content creation and distribution in the region. We are in a very good position to develop and lead this fast evolving part of the media industry and we are confident Abu Dhabi Media Company will emerge as an icon of digital distribution in the region.’

Ghai has 20 years’ of media experience across a spectrum of pay and free TV platforms in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. He was also involved in the recent launch of British Telecom’s pioneering iptv Video on Demand (VOD) service.

Ghai has a long history with content distributors and has signed complex content deals with all major film studios in the US. His former positions include SVP of Programming for TV3 Sweden and Executive Vice President of Programming for the Pan-Arab media network Orbit.

Tags: Abu Dhabi Media Company, Appointments, Edward Borgerding, Ricky Ghai