News Corp to restructure Asian business

News Corp has announced that it will restructure its Asian broadcast business into three units – Star India, Star Greater China and Fox International Channels (FIC).

The divisions are currently part of a single entity, Star. As part of the restructure, Star CEO Paul Aiello is to leave the company at the end of December. Star India will be headed by its existing CEO Uday Shankar, who will now report direct to News Corp Europe and Asia CEO James Murdoch and will also oversee Star’s sales offices in the Middle East, the UK and the US. Star Greater China will be headed by current Star China and Taiwan president John Lau. FIC, which will manage the English-language channels previously managed by Star and will distribute Fox and National Geographic channels in Asia, as well as distributing the Indian and Chinese channels outside their home markets, will be headed by Ward Platt as president, Asia, and Zubin Gandevia, chief operating officer, Asia. News Corp is also to establish a new office in Hong Kong to look after its interests in the region.