HONG KONG – December 2, 2013 – FOX International Channels (FIC), has named Francis Chang as its Senior Vice President Legal & Business Affairs and General Counsel for Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Chang joins the company today and serves as the chief legal advisor for Asia’s leading pay-TV network across the region, FIC said in a press release.
As General Counsel, Chang is the most senior legal executive in the region and is responsible for all of FIC’s business and legal affairs as well as its standards and practices. This includes managing FIC’s legal team across the region and working with all levels of the organization as well as various teams to oversee business deals, negotiations, contracts and all legal matters. He is based in Hong Kong and reports to both Zubin Gandevia, FIC’s President of Asia Pacific and the Middle East, and Rita Tuzon, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the FOX Networks Group in the US.
Chang brings with him to FIC exceptional leadership as well as legal and business expertise honed over nearly two decades of experience, with extensive knowledge in key areas such as corporate, commercial, technology, licensing and intellectual property law. He most recently spent eight years at the Canadian law firm, Blake, Cassels & Grayson LLP, based in Vancouver, initially starting as an Associate Counsel in 2005 and then becoming a partner in 2008. His move to FIC marks a return to both Hong Kong and the television industry, having worked at STAR TV as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel from 1999 to 2005, prior to the network coming under 21st Century FOX and becoming a part of FIC Asia. Previous to his tenure at STAR TV, Chang worked at Walt Disney Television International.
“Francis has a great deal of industry knowledge and experience and we are all very pleased that such a well-respected and well-liked former senior colleague has returned to the company,” said Zubin Gandevia. “FIC Asia believes that in order to maintain our position as Asia’s leading pay-TV network we need to assemble the best possible team, and Francis’ appointment cements that commitment.”
Chang said, “FIC is an unparalleled global leader in international media and entertainment, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a talented group of executives at FIC Asia in some of the most dynamic and interesting markets in the world.”
Chang obtained his J.D. from the University of Toronto. He also has an MBA (Finance) from New York University Stern School of Business and a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
