SINGAPORE – In a move that underscores its confidence in the future of ad-supported streaming, Samsung has doubled down on its TV business in Asia Pacific with a series of strategic leadership appointments.
Tapping into the explosive growth of Free Ad-Supported TV (FAST) across the region, the tech giant has named Brigitte Slattery as the first ever Regional Head of Samsung TV Plus, APAC. Slattery, who brings seasoned experience from Network Ten, Foxtel, HBO, and NBCUniversal, will steer content, operations, product, and marketing to fuel local growth across an increasingly dynamic market.
This move comes on the heels of a record-breaking year for Samsung TV Plus, which now boasts 88 million monthly active users globally and more than 50% year on year growth in viewership. In APAC alone, the FAST category is seeing triple digit surges in watch time and ad impressions, outpacing global benchmarks, according to data from Amagi.
Since its Southeast Asia launch last year, Samsung TV Plus has expanded rapidly, now reaching audiences in Australia, India, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.
Alongside Slattery’s appointment, Samantha Cooke has been promoted to Head of Marketing & Analytics for Samsung Ads SEA and Oceania. With a rich background spanning publishers and agencies, Cooke is tasked with deepening data-led storytelling and sharpening Samsung’s marketing engine for partners across the region.
Also stepping into expanded roles are Virgile Edragas as Head of Data & Analytics, APAC, and Alex Smith, who joins Samsung Ads from Nielsen. Smith will play a key role in driving industry innovation through the Video Futures Collective (VFC) and other collaborative initiatives.
“The remarkable growth of ad-supported TV underscores the immense potential for advertisers to reach highly engaged audiences through streaming,” said Alex Spurzem, Managing Director Samsung Ads Southeast Asia and Oceania (SEAO). “These leadership appointments are testament to both the team’s achievements to date, and the huge opportunities still ahead for brands and advertisers.”
Brigitte Slattery, Regional Head, Samsung TV Plus, APAC, added, “Audiences still love watching TV channels – the only difference is now they are streaming it. We’ve made the free TV experience easier and instant, so when you switch on a Samsung TV, you’ve got a great mix of both local and global premium content ready to go.”
