New role for Anshuman Misra to bolster the company’s mission to deliver premium kids programming, consumer products, e advertising solutions to Asia-Pacific territories, adds office in Singapore
Pocket.watch, the studio creating global franchises from the YouTube stars and characters loved by Generation Alpha, announced the hiring of former WarnerMedia executive Anshuman Misra to lead pocket.watch’s second international office based in Singapore. Misra will support the company’s expanded global presence and oversee the region’s distribution and content sales, consumer products licensing and merchandising, and advertising sales as Managing Director, Asia Pacific.
“The demand for kids programming and consumer products featuring our massively popular digital creator partners continues to skyrocket. Their YouTube channels consistently top the global most-watched lists, and a huge part of the growth is coming from Asian markets including India and China,” said Chris M. Williams, CEO of pocket.watch. “We’re thrilled to bring Anshuman to pocket.watch, and his decades of experience in Asia will be invaluable as we expand our content, consumer products and advertising offerings to these new markets.”
Misra previously opened WarnerMedia’ s first Indian office in the nineties and captained the development of WarnerMedia’s content business in Asia, which includes South Asia, SEA, Australia and New Zealand, Greater China, Japan, and Korea. For almost two decades, Misra spearheaded the introduction of several networks and businesses to the region and forged joint ventures and partnerships in key territories. Brands under his purview included Cartoon Network, HBO (South Asia), CNN International, Pogo, Boomerang, TCM, Tru TV, The WB, and HLN, among others. Most recently, Misra served as Chief Business Officer for digital startup Showt.
“I’m thrilled to open new doors for pocket.watch within the Asia Pacific market, its roster of globally beloved creators, and franchises to more kids and families,” said Anshuman Misra, managing director, Asia Pacific, pocket.watch. “Pocket.watch has identified some of the most successful creator-led partnerships that surpass language, culture, and prove that global enterprises are possible for digital native talent. This is only the beginning for what we can achieve together in Asia.”
Last year, the studio opened its first international office in London, headed by former Disney EMEA executive Danny Spronz, who serves as pocket.watch’s Managing Director EMEA and supported the partnership with Etisalat, the largest telecom operator in the Middle East. Under the banner of a global mindset, pocket.watch recently announced their deepened partnership with Amazon to support the European expansion of the Emmy-nominated No.1 kids show for preschoolers, “Ryan’s Mystery Playdate”, which was picked up for a fourth season by Nickelodeon amid strong domestic and international ratings.
Earlier this year, the company announced plans for their next big global creator franchise, Kids Diana Show, the No. 3 YouTube most-watched channel in the world, to debut a creator-focused lifestyle franchise called “Love, Diana,” which includes a 40-episode live action and animated hybrid and consumer product line coming to the US, UK, and Australia, this fall.
