Rose Media VP to launch Ignite Asia

With six years' experience at Rose, Jirath, who holds a master's degree in entrepreneurship management from Mahidol University, yesterday said the move came from his desire to tap new business opportunities made possible by the boom in new media and Asian cross-cultural environments.

Jirath started his career 15 years ago, working in the field of business development with Canada's Internet and Web Development.

He later joined EGV, the biggest cinema operator at the time in terms of market share, as vice president for business development.

In 2003, Jirath moved to Rose Video, which changed its name to Rose Media & Entertainment in 2006, as vice president for business development and marketing. He was credited with earning Rose its reputation as Thailand's "king of animation".

Jirath was also responsible for Rose's major content-acquisition drive, leaving it with the largest animation library in the Kingdom and making the company the market leader in animation.

"My goal is to be one of the new-media specialists in Thailand, using a through-the-line strategy by mixing marketing events and media activities," he said.

"I want to invest in new media and cross-cultural content, which I believe will be high-growth businesses, driven by the rapid transformation of the local media industry into new formats - satellite TV, broadband Internet, Web TV and mobile phones."

Jirath's wife, Oraphan, is a member of the Monphichit family, founder of Rose Media & Entertainment.

She is also a vice president at the family business, overseeing the purchase of local licences for imported animation and other television series, mainly from Japan.

Jirath said the focus of Ignite Asia would be on the huge potential of the new media.

"Starting with six staff, Ignite Asia will operate in two areas: supplying content to new-media channels and cross-cultural activities," said Jirath.

He said the company would supply both its own content and imported fare.

"Next month, we'll launch a new Web TV channel that allows viewers to watch for free. It will offer animation, variety shows, musical programmes and concerts, much of it imported from Japan and South Korea," said Jirath.

Also next month, Ignite Asia will host Bangkok's biggest-ever dance contest. Video clips will be broadcast on the new Web channel, and viewers can vote for the winners on their mobiles.

Other interesting programmes broadcast via new media will include introductions to local Japanese restaurants.

"We'll work hand in hand with our sponsors to integrate marketing events and activities with attractive content for distribution via the new-media channels and social networks," said Jirath.

"We're also considering flying over a music producer from Japan to record a Thai song album for export back to Japan."

The company will also encourage Vietnamese singers to stage concerts in Thailand and vice versa.

Ignite Asia has targeted turnover of Bt50 million this year, doubling to Bt100 million next year.