Thursday, May 02, 2013

The change in the media landscape opens more doors to foreign investors in media and communications that want to establish a strong presence here.

US private investment firm Saban Capital is among the leading overseas investors that are keen on expanding their portfolios to Thailand.

Sumeet Jaisinghani, director of Saban Capital Group (Asia), told The Nation yesterday that the company was actively seeking investment opportunities in Thailand and across Southeast Asia.

“Our sectors of focus are pay-TV operators, free-to-air television, content creation, broadband, Internet/new media, mobile operators and towers,” he said.

The company is optimistic about the macro outlook for the Kingdom and its demographics, plus the improving political climate and the opening of various industries within media and communications.

Saban is also looking to be an active participant in the country’s media and communications landscape, he said.

Under its strategic plan, Saban will partner with strong controlling shareholders and operating executives to make significant minority and co-control investments.

“As a private investor, with a permanent base of capital, we can use a high degree of flexibility in structuring our investments. We are also open to investing in both public and private companies and, once we’ve made an investment, tend to be fairly active shareholders and board members,” Sumeet said.

The company is excited about the recent opening of its office in Singapore, which puts it in the centre of investment activity in Southeast Asia, he said. Saban is already exposed to Indonesia in a meaningful way as the largest foreign private investor in that country’s media sector.

The company has five portfolio investments in Asia spread across multiple geographies.

Within five years, Saban expects to multiply its investments in the region and build many more strategic partnerships with leading entrepreneurs and corporations.

Hong Kong-based Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), one of its portfolio companies, has a commercial relationship with Cable Thai Holdings (CTH) as a supplier of pay-TV channels.

CTE is a joint venture with Astro, the owner and operator of a leading direct-to-home entertainment platform and pay-TV service in Malaysia, and Lionsgate, the largest independent film and entertainment studio.

CTE has seven linear channels, in high definition and standard definition, as well as various subscription video on demand and over-the-top content offerings.

“CTE is rapidly expanding its footprint across Southeast Asia, and the relationship with CTH is an important one for us,” Sumeet said.

By WATCHIRANONT THONGTEP
THE NATION