What were some of Turner MEAs greatest milestones in 2012? 2012 was an excellent year for Cartoon Network Arabic in terms of both the channel and the web site. More and more children are watching the channel, and were seeing a significant growth in traffic, with increasing viewers, fans and subscribers on the web site, […]
What were some of Turner MEAs greatest milestones in 2012?
2012 was an excellent year for Cartoon Network Arabic in terms of both the channel and the web site. More and more children are watching the channel, and were seeing a significant growth in traffic, with increasing viewers, fans and subscribers on the web site, Facebook page and the recently launched YouTube channel. The year has been great for Turner as pay TV continues to grow. Cartoon Network Studios Arabia in Abu Dhabi has also expanded as the team continues to work on creating original content.
What are your plans for 2013?
We shall build upon our achievements of 2012. In terms of the channel, we have several new series and episodes from our established franchises, plus some new shows.
We plan to continue on building momentum and empowering children by understanding them and providing them with a space to laugh out loud, be inspired by engaging characters and stories, stimulate them and stretch their imagination.
In terms of business, well seek to build on the strong client portfolio that we have developed from the day we became a local business.
I believe Turner EMEA has cut its staff by 30%. Any comment on how this may, perhaps, impact your operations in the Arab world?
Its business as usual in the Middle East. If anything, we will be creating new UAE-based roles.
Any statistics you can share with us on viewership?
Our subscription numbers are pretty much tied to the growth of pay TV and free-to-air (FTA) channels, as we are platform neutral. So, as both pay TV and FTA are growing in the region, it would be a safe assumption to say that we are too.
Who is your most inspiring movie character? Why?
Ive always admired Chuck Yeager from the movie The Right Stuff mainly for his calm, assured approach to his role, his obvious bravery and skill, plus his “can do, will do” approach to life and work. More recently of course, I can see many similarities between myself and Mr. George Clooney!
Who or where did you learn the most critical business lessons that you carry with you each day?
A strong work ethic has always been the cornerstone of my life, and this was instilled in me by my dad. His advice was to constantly strive to achieve more than is expected, both in work and in life.
What advice would you give yourself if you had to go back in time and revisit your teenage years?
Take a few more risks.
Are you a phone addict? Do you need to check your mails on your phone if you wake up in the middle of the night?
Unfortunately, yes but Ive also learnt not to immediately reply to late night emails, as some things can get lost in translation during that hazy disrupted sleep.
Which department asks you for the most amount of money or requires the most investment now?
They all present compelling lists of reasons on a regular basis.
