ABS-CBN President, CEO and CCO and this year’s International Emmy Awards gala chair Charo Santos-Concio joined the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences board and its members in kicking off the 43rd International Emmy Awards slated this November.

Santos-Concio was personally welcomed by Academy chairman Fred Cohen during a dinner held exclusively in the famous Chateau De Versailles on 3 October where about 200 members of the international board, French government officials, and broadcasters convened.

Joining her in the trip are ABS-CBN Integrated Acquisitions and International Distribution head Leng Raymundo, Concept Development Group and New Media head Enrico Santos, and Acquisition Manager Rachel Simon.

Santos-Concio made history as the first Philippine TV network executive to be invited as Gala chair in the prestigious international award giving body. This not only recognizes Santos-Concio’s mark in the broadcasting industry but also ABS-CBN as a world-class content producer and media entertainment company.

As chair, Santos-Concio will preside over the Gala, during which the International Academy will recognize programming in ten program categories and present Special Awards to Julian Fellowes, creator and writer of Downton Abbey (Founders Award) and Richard Plepler, Chairman and CEO of HBO (Directorate Award).

The Academy just unveiled the 40 nominees across 10 categories and 19 countries recently that include Angola, Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the U.K. and the U.S.

The 43rd International Emmy Awards will take place 23 November at the New York Hilton Hotel and will be hosted by Egyptian satirist, Bassem Youssef.