UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., July 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Pictures today announced that Jo Yan has been named Managing Director and Executive Vice President, China for Universal Pictures International (UPI). In this role, Yan will be responsible for building an office in China and overseeing the film group's theatrical and digital distribution as well as its local Chinese language production efforts. Yan will also help establish and implement strategic goals for Universal Pictures, NBCUniversal and Comcast in this region. The announcement was made by UPI President, Distribution Duncan Clark.
"China is one of our most significant international territories and it is imperative that Universal has a strong, well-respected leader as we expand our presence in this region," said Clark. "Jo is the perfect choice to build and lead our Chinese office, and we are delighted that he has decided to join our leadership team."
As Managing Director and Executive Vice President, China, Yan will also oversee, in conjunction with the studio's consumer products group, the development of Universal brands and licensing business in the region. Additionally, he will assist Illumination Entertainment with its effort to grow in the Chinese marketplace by serving as a creative advisor, helping to source local intellectual property and identifying companies who could provide animation services.
Prior to joining Universal, Yan spent 20 years at The Walt Disney Company. Since April 2010 he held the title of Senior Vice President of Studio Distribution for Greater China, where he oversaw Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, covering theatrical and expanding into all formats available for in-home consumption of the studio's rich and diverse slate. Before that, Yan was appointed Senior Vice President of Sales, Acquisitions and Co-productions for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Asia-Pacific in 2006. He joined the company in 1994 as Buena Vista International's head of sales in the Asia-Pacific market, growing the company's presence in the region.
Yan began his career in the film industry in 1990, joining the Asia regional office of Orion Pictures International before being hired two years later by Hong Kong distributor Intercontinental Distributors. Yan has won numerous awards throughout his career for his commercial achievements, including CineAsia's distinguished Distributor of the Year Award in 2011. Yan is also a committed philanthropist, and while at Disney he founded the employee initiative called Project Mulan, which has helped build seven primary schools benefitting thousands of children in some of the poorest areas in China since 2001.
He is a graduate of the University of Kent at Canterbury with a B.A. in Accounting, Politics and Government.
