MARK HENG

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Growing up, I never knew I was going to be an accountant. In school, and being an Air Scout, every single person in the scout troop dreamt of being a pilot…a fighter jet that is. Then, I wanted to become an architect, as I loved playing and building with Legos. I also took up music, wanting to become a musician or play in a rock band. However, none of these really happened.

Anyway, here I am, Financial Controller of Astro Radio. The journey as an accountant started with working as an auditor in a medium sized audit practice in London for just over four years before the call to return home was sounded. Began my career in Malaysia briefly with one of the top audit firms before joining Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd in 1995 as a Finance Executive. A year later, was transferred to Tanjong plc, looking at business development, evaluating business proposals. After three years, the next port of call in the group was Astro and was given the exposure in operational management in a variety of areas within the business.

In 2003, moved to Astro Radio and have enjoyed every single minute in the industry. Radio, is where we move at breakneck speed. I build relationships with people and numbers but most of all; I get to enjoy the best music and entertaining content in the country. I guess I am getting live my dreams, working at Astro Radio.

I am a cricket enthusiast, could not play to save my life though.

You Never Walk Alone.

DATUK JAKE ABDULLAH

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

It's a rap

Let me partake,
The facts about Jake
20 years in astro
Now get him a cake!
Started as a dj back in 96
Still hittin the decks cause that’s his fix
Now CEO coz he's got flow
His rhymes are big
like astro radio
A scouser at heart
now that’s his team
And making muscles bulge in the gym

RAMESH SANKEY

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Ramesh joined our Group on 2 February 2000 and was appointed Director of Astro Radio & Rocketfuel Entertainment on 1 July 2019.

Prior to his appointment as Director, Ramesh was Chief Content Officer at Astro Radio where he led strategy, research, talent management and creative content creation across our radio, digital & social platforms.

His key achievements include growing Astro Radio to lead in listenership across all languages, launching our digital-first radio brands - ZAYAN and GOXUAN and establishing our digital marketing arm - Blaze Digital.

His new task includes heading Rocketfuel Entertainment, Astro’s influencer marketing arm. It manages some of the biggest talents in the entertainment industry, produces talent-driven digital content and runs an independent music label.

Ramesh studied at Syuen College, graduating with a Diploma in Hotel Business Management from the American Hotel and Motel Association and attended the Harvard Business School Programme in 2012.

JEYAPUVAN SOMASUNDRAM

Chief Commercial Officer

Beyond’s ‘Wide Open Sky’ and ‘Surangani’ are Jeya’s favorite songs and these two songs are responsible for his foray into the radio industry. Where else can you break into a song without raising one or two eyebrows? His passion for music, his love for anything remotely fun and the dynamic nature of the radio business stirred something inside him like never before and fueled him up to be the Chief Commercial Officer of Astro Radio today.

Jeya’s career kicked off 20 years ago when he joined Bates and later Zenith Media as a media planner but his real calling came when he took on the role of an Advertising Sales Executive at Airtime Management & Programming Sdn Bhd (now known as Astro Radio Sdn Bhd) in 1998. His social and party skills coupled with his thirst for Sales and Advertising drove him to be the best in the business. His contribution to the business was soon recognized by the management and in just 10 short years, he moved on to become the General Manager of Sales for agency business of Astro Radio. This was hardly surprising as he was always committed to deliver the best for his clients and agencies while remaining faithful and devoted to his team and product. In 2016, he was propelled to the top of the food chain as the Chief Commercial Officer of Astro Radio. After 20 years, his passion for his work is still visibly present in each and every campaign that he works on.

Being a sales man at heart, he is never desk bound and comes alive as he steps out of the office... As the saying goes, you can take the man out of sales, but you can never take the sales out of the man!

BALA MURALI SUBRAMANEY

Chief Technology Officer

Bala is a seasoned broadcast engineering professional with more than 20 years’ experience in planning, design, integration and implementation. He is a results-oriented professional with a proven track record of accomplishments. This can be attributed to his highly diverse engineering knowledge and a propensity to initiate positive change.  He also possesses strong business acumen with strengths in translating commercial and functional requirements, to technical specifications, reengineering business processes and defining continuous improvement processes.

Bala holds a Master of Science in Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering in Communication & Electronic and Chartered Engineer accreditation from Engineering Council, UK. 

Bala’s confession:  Thanks to my natural inquisitiveness, I once succumbed to my primal need of dismantling radios – in search of tiny singers that I thought was dwelling within! That was way back when. Look where I am now… KEEPING RADIO ALIVE AND KICKING. How’s that for irony? Or as I like to say, “Moments of madness, a lifetime to pay.”

AARON PINTO

General Manager, Content

JAaron’s career started over 20 years ago with Best FM 104 in 1995 and joined Astro radio in 1996. He was the music executive and evening drive announcer for MIX.

He has led the very capable content teams of MY, MELODY, GOXUAN, MIX, LITE, SINAR, GEGAR and RAAGA in achieving its content creation strategy, and listener targets. Recent key achievement was to develop and launch Malaysia’s first Chinese language digital-first radio brand - GOXUAN.

His role as General Manager of Content, will see him lead the content teams in strategy, research, talent management and creative content creation across our radio, digital & social platforms.

HARMINDER SINGH

General Manager Sales

Hockey has always been my first love….who would have thought the discipline and strategic thinking behind the game would come in so handy in my work as a salesman. I began in sales 24 years ago and I remember walking the streets of Kuala Lumpur canvassing for sales. I started in NST back in 1993 and joined AMP (as it was called back then) in 1997 as a Sales Executive. I saw the company grow from 9mil billing till how it is today, No 1 in all languages and monopolizing 76% of market share. Makes me feel really proud to be part of this growth. I am also responsible for a young team and it gives me much joy to guide them and teach them the ropes.

I still enjoy the occasional game of hockey as the adrenaline rush felt during the game is similar to the rush I feel when closing a big deal. I have to say it has been a wonderful ride so far and a very rewarding one. A big portion of my working life has been spent at Astro Radio and it has been great to be part of this amazing organization.

Daphne Lourdes

General Manager of Digital & Marketing

Daphne started off her career in the Martech space in Australia. She has since held various functions within the media and entertainment space, and has launched brands in Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Today, she looks after strategic direction for Digital and Marketing at Astro Radio.

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