Singapore – Man Shu Sum will join Mark Burnett Productions Asia (MBPA) as chief executive officer, leaving his positions of director of strategic relations at the Media Development Authority (MDA) of Singapore and director of Singapore Film Commission (SFC). Although he leaves MDA on May 14, 2008, Man will remain as a board member of the SFC. Still based in Singapore, Man will lead MBPA which will produce reality shows, game shows, formats and scripted dramas, with a focus on original content for the region. Having co-produced Thai-kickboxing reality series The Contender Asia in Singapore, currently airing across Asia on AXN, MBPA also launched new format Amnesia at MIPCOM in October 2007; while The Apprentice Asia, another reality series, is in the pipeline with production and post to be done in Singapore. MBPA is a JV between Mark Burnett Productions and Genting International, to be based at the Resorts World in Sentosa. As with The Contender Asia where MBPA worked with MDA and the Singapore Tourism Board in production, US$20million JV is expected to continue working with MDA and SFC on future projects, tapping on Man’s continued involvement with SFC and his relationship with MDA. Man described his new job as “an extension” of his involvement as he moves from the regulatory role into actual production of projects. MDA CEO Dr Christopher Chia also expects to be able to collaborate with Man in his new capacity at MBPA. Man said, “The Singapore media industry is moving in the right direction and becoming internationally-recognised, and will be able to capitalise on the rising global demand for Asian content. It is with this assurance that I have decided to move on to another media company that will be in the business of creating Asian content for the international market. I believe that I will continue to enjoy a synergistic working relationship with MDA, while sharing the same vision for Singapore media.”