Former AT&T WarnerMedia executive Belinda Lui has stepped into her new role as as president and managing director of the Motion Picture Association in the Asia-Pacific region.
Liu’s hire was made in October by MPA chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin. Based in Hong Kong, she will report to Gail MacKinnon, senior executive vp for global policy and government affairs, and work to advance the interests of the Hollywood studios in Asia’s growing markets.
“This is an exciting time of innovation, evolution and opportunity for the industry, and Asia-Pacific is one of the world’s most dynamic and complex regions,” Lui said. “I am honored to be leading the Motion Picture Association in this region at this time, and to be representing such iconic entertainment companies. I look forward to partnering with our business and government leaders in advancing our common goals.”
Lui replaces regional industry veteran Mike Ellis who held the position for 20 years. Ellis will remain as adviser to the MPA for an undetermined handover phase.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to lead the association in the region, and I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished,” Ellis said. “Our members and the industry at large could not ask for a better leader than Belinda Lui during this exciting, dynamic time, and I look forward to working with her over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.”
Trained as an attorney, Lui comes to the MPA most recently from AT&T WarnerMedia, where she was the head of international relations and public policy for Asia-Pacific, where she was responsible for government affairs, cybersecurity and data privacy at the group’s various media brands, including Warner Bros., HBO and CNN. Prior to her time at WarnerMedia, Lui served as in-house legal counsel at Microsoft Hong Kong, addressing various government affairs issues in Asia.
“A respected industry veteran, she is ideally poised to lead the Motion Picture Association’s efforts in a critical region for our members,” said Rivkin.
