Meet the Secretariat Staff
ABU is a member of the World Broadcasters’ Union and works closely with the other regional broadcasting unions on matters of common concern such as reserving frequencies for broadcasters, harmonisation of operating and technical broadcasting standards and systems and finalising the Broadcasting Treaty.
WHO IS WHO
The office of the Secretary-General looks after all administration, staffing, public and international relations, financial matters and information systems.
SG’s Office
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Nargiza Numanova Head of Secretary-General’s Office Nargiza is an experienced professional responsible for strategic development, members engagement, external relations and marketing. She started her career at the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan (MTRK) and has worked for 25 years in the international relations and broadcasting. Nargiza has a master’s degree in philology, as well as a bachelor’s degree in financing. Prior to joining ABU as the Personal Assistant to SG, she served as a Head of the International Relations Department of MTRK Uzbekistan. Nargiza’s involvement with ABU has been extensive, including her tenure as the ABU Liaison Officer and membership in the ABU Planning and Strategy Group. Additionally, she represented MTRK Uzbekistan at the Admin Council for three years. |
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Faten Amira Rahmat Finance Manager With over 11 years of experience in the finance sector, Faten started her career with Ernst & Young as a Financial Auditor. Building on the experience in financial auditing and regulatory compliance, Faten then transitioned to Media Prima Berhad, where she focused on television network management reporting and budgeting. Subsequently, Faten joined the finance team at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), where she was responsible for managing the full spectrum of financial accounts. Later in her career, Faten transitioned to a role at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), specializing in revenue management. |
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Shabana Jan Manager, Human Resource and Administration Shabana is an accomplished Manager with a strong background in HR and Administration. In her current role, she oversees and coordinates all administrative activities related to personnel at the ABU Secretariat. Previously, she served as a project officer in the ABU News Department, where she successfully managed over 40 projects across 10 countries. During international events, she played a pivotal role as the primary contact for AVN members. Prior to joining ABU in 2012, Shabana gained valuable experience as a Public Relations Manager, working with esteemed dignitaries, as well as renowned airlines such as Royal Brunei Airlines and British Airways. Additionally, she held the position of Director of Communication at Lim Kok Wing University and worked as a Human Resource Executive at BRDB, one of Malaysia’s most reputable property brands. |
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Seemantani Sharma Legal Manager Seemantani Sharma is an international media, broadcast, and copyright lawyer with eight years of post-qualification legal experience. Her expertise lies in intellectual property (IP) and contracts. Her PhD in IP law is pending conferral by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She was a commonwealth scholar at UTS. She holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in IP George Washington University, Certificate in Contract Law from Harvard University, and Bachelor of Laws from India. She is fluent in Enligh, Hindi, and conversational in Chinese (Mandarin). She is a licensed attorney. |
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Pema Dorji Finance Officer Pema Dorji is Bhutanese National. He holds Master in Business Administration specialization in Accounting and Finance from Maastricht School of Management, the Netherlands as well as a Bachelor of Commerce (honors) from Sherubtse College, Bhutan (affiliated with Delhi University, India). He also holds executive certificate in Innovation management from RWTH Aachen University, Germany. He has over 15 years of accounting, finance and administration experience in broadcast organisations. Prior to joining ABU, he worked with Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation Limited (BBSCL) as Finance Head. Pema Dorji has worked as Finance Officer, Administrative Officer, General Manager, Finance Manager and Finance head in State Enterprise in Bhutan. |
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Fariza Ibrahim Finance Officer Fariza holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons), majoring in Finance and Diploma in Banking Studies from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Malaysia. She has over 19 years of work experience in Accounts and Administration. Prior to joining the ABU, she worked at Road Engineering Association of Asia and Australasia (REAAA) as an Accounts and Administration Executive for 12 years. |
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Nadzim Zainal Senior Creative Designer Nadzim joined the ABU in June 2011 as the Editorial Artist/Webmaster that designs the layout of the quarterly ABU News, Annual Reports and other ABU publications, including ABU’s promotional materials. Apart from that, Nadzim is also the official photographer. |
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Najwa A’liah Fairuz Executive Assistant to the Secretary-General As an executive assistant Najwa performs a variety of administrative tasks and supports Secretary-General and their office. A Malaysian, Najwa formerly worked as a Strategic Partnership Executive at Karex Berhad, a private Malaysian company, where her responsibilities included communications, branding, business development and liaising with Southeast Asian countries for product promotion and development. Najwa holds a Bachelor’s Degree (Hons) in Applied Language Studies and a Diploma in Public Administration. |
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Ruchi Malhotra Assistant SG’s Office Ruchi Malhotra holds a Bachelors in Science from the University of Delhi, India and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration with a specialization in HR. She has around 12 years experience in various roles within HR / Administrative functions. Ruchi is an Indian and has joined the ABU in July 2018. |
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Kuamis Kimjun Accounts Assistant Kuamis Kimjun is a Malaysian Citizen. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics, majoring in Finance from the Universiti Putra Malaysia. Kuamis has over 10 years of experience in Administration and Accounting. She joined ABU in October 2015. |
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Shanmugam s/o Nadasan Senior Administration Assistant Shan, a Malaysian, joined the ABU in 1999. |
ABU Technology
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Dr Veysel Binbay Director, ABU Technology Veysel Binbay is a Turkish National and has been working in Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) since 1998. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree (Gazi University, Turkey), MSc (Graduate Degree, Dicle University, Turkey) and PHd (Doctorate degree, Dicle University, Turkey). He is experienced in the design, setup, and operation of analogue/hybrid/digital radio and TV broadcast systems; he also has experience in developing software. |
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Shree Bhadra Wagle Manager Production & Delivery Technologies Wagle is from Nepal and holds an M Tech (Satellite Communications, India); MBA (Management, UK); BE (EEE, India). Mr Wagle served at Radio Nepal, a Government Radio Broadcaster, from 1992 to 2017 and retired as Deputy Executive Director. He was Associate Professor at Kantipur Engineering College, Nepal from Oct 2017 to Sept 2018. |
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Siva Kumar Manager, IT Department Siva is Malaysian. He is skilled in developing, implementing and supporting information systems and networking. He joined the ABU in January 2009. |
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Saravana Kuma Project Manager – Media Streaming and Web Applications Saravana has over 12 years experience in web and software development and has worked on numerous web development projects. He has a bachelors degree in computer science majoring in software engineering from the Management and Science University, Malaysia. |
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Sharzuan Mat Systems Support Officer Sharzuan has about 10 years of experience in IT support and system management. He had worked in medical, legal and also oil & gas industry in the past. He holds a bachelor degree in Engineering Technology. |
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Irfah Hazirah Systems Support Officer Irfah Hazirah has a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology majoring in Graphics and Media. Prior to joining ABU, she previously worked as a Technical Solution Rep III at DXC Technology, providing technical support and information to staff at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. |
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Nur Aqilah Mohd Izam Assistant – Director of Technology Nur Aqilah has recently joined the ABU Technology Department. She is Malaysian and holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Communication (Hons.) majoring in Broadcasting. Prior to joining the ABU, she has worked as Corporate Admin Executive at Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia providing corporate communications, legal administration and high-level secretarial support to the general committee members. |
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Nerina Rosli Team Assistant Nerina is a Malaysian and she was born in Kuching, Sarawak and raised in Melbourne, Australia. Lived in Paris, France and equipped with cultural intelligence. Speaks in English, Malay, and French. Nerina holds Masters in International Relations from University of Nottingham and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication (Journalism) from Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. Nerina previously worked as a lecturer at Manipal International University in Malaysia, where she specialised in writing for mass media and undergraduate human communication. |
ABU Programming
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Yasu Nagahata Director, ABU Programming Yasushige Nagahata is a Japanese national and started his career with Japanese public broadcaster, NHK in 1997. He has mainly directed and produced entertainment programmes for the last 24 years. He holds a Bachelor of Art degree from Boston University, USA. |
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Hanizah Hamzah Head of TV A Malaysian, Hanizah has worked for Radio Televisyen Malaysia as a radio producer and TV anchorwoman, as well as for NHK’s Radio Japan. She joined the ABU in August 2006. |
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Olya Booyar Head of Radio Born in Ukraine and educated in Canada, Olya began her career as an on-air broadcaster-journalist with SBS in Australia and rose rapidly through the organisation, before leaving to become Deputy Director of the countryąs national Classification Board. As well as working previously for the ABU, she has been a General Manager for the Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) and most recently worked at the Australian Writersą Guild. She is a past-President of the global International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT). |
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Amir Khaidar TV Production Project Manager Amir joined ABU in December 2022 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Television from Columbia College Chicago in the United States. In his decade-long career in national television channels covering news and sports, he has worked as a television director, digital producer, broadcast and print journalist as well as a marketing and promotions manager in his native Kazakhstan. |
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Lai Kai Yan Assistant Project Manager – Programme Yan joined the ABU in February 2014 as Team Assistant in the Programme Department. Yan has a Bachelor of Sports Science from the University of Malaya and has worked in administration, promotions and retail before joining the ABU. Yan is Malaysian. |
ABU Sports
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Cai Yanjiang Director, ABU Sports Yanjiang is from CCTV where he was Senior Producer of the CCTV sports channel. He graduated from the China Central Academy of Drama with a Masters degree in Film and Television theory. Yanjiang joined the ABU in July 2012. |
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Kesang Senior Project Manager Kesang joined the ABU from BBS Bhutan in July 2014. Prior to the ABU, he worked as the Head/General Manager of the News Channel at BBS. Kesang has extensive experience in news and production having started his career in broadcast media as a news reporter in 1994. He has worked in various capacities both in News and Programming at BBS, including planning and execution of broadcast development activities, expansion and diversification of content production as well as coverage of many important national and international sporting events. |
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Nur Jalilah Assistant Project Manager – Sports Nur Jalilah joined ABU in January 2015, a Malaysian holds a Master’s Degree in Corporate Communication from University of Putra Malaysia and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Science from University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Prior to the ABU she has worked in various capacities both in customer relation executive at Malaysia Airlines System and with an international sports federation, AFC in Kuala Lumpur. |
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Mohamad Izzuddin Shafiq Ideris Team Assistant, Sports Department Mohamad Izzuddin Shafiq Ideris is a Malaysian. He holds a Bachelor of Sport Science with a major in Sport Management from the University of Malaya. Previously worked as the Venue Coordinator for the BWF World Tour Malaysia Open 2018, Asia Blind Football 2017, and the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games 2017. While working at the United States Sports Academy in Malaysia, Izzuddin also gained experience organising the International Diploma for Physical Education and Sport Coaching (IDPESC) 2018 for selected school teachers. |
ABU News
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Deborah Steele Director, ABU News Deborah is a former ABC news executive, editor and journalist and a strategic communications specialist. She led the ABC’s Asia – Pacific newsroom from 2009-2017 and established Australia’s first 24/7 multiplatform newsroom producing content for digital, television and radio for the ABC’s domestic and international services. She has extensive experience in identifying and developing strategic opportunities, strengthening stakeholder relationships and building Asia- Pacific partnerships. |
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Ahmed Afruh Rasheed Senior Editor Afruh joined the ABU in 2019 after more than 15 years working at public and private media organisations in the Maldives, including as News Editor at the public broadcaster Television Maldives. He has also worked as a journalism and broadcasting trainer for the Maldives National University, the Maldives Media Institute, the ABU, the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development, and UN bodies including UNDP, UNICEF and UN Women. Afruh holds a BA in Film and Television (Curtin University, Australia), a BA in Media and Journalism (University of the West of England, UK), a BA (Hons) in Mass Communication – Broadcasting (Taylors University, Malaysia) and a Masters in ASEAN Studies (University Malaya). |
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Nisha Parmanadan Asiavision Senior Producer/Coordinator Nisha has 17 years experience in the media industry. She has reported on a wide range of issues including politics, economics, crime and sport. She has also worked as a producer, editor, newsreader and presenter for both radio and television at Radio Television Malaysia and Bernama. She has a degree in Film & Broadcasting from University of Science Malaysia. She joined the ABU in 2011 |
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Premalatha Jayaraman Asiavision Coordinator Premalatha joined the ABU in November 2017 after more than 16 years as a print and news agency journalist in Malaysia, at Kumpulan Karangkraf, Bernama, The Sun newspaper and ASEAN Post. She specialised in finance and business writing with a focus on financial and commodity markets, macroeconomics and trading. She has a degree in communications from the Open University Malaysia and a diploma in broadcasting from the Malaysia Institute of Integrative Media. |
ABU Media Academy
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Mehrnoosh Bestar Academy Programme Manager Mehrnoosh Bestar joined the ABU Media Academy in May 2022 as a Programme Manager. She holds Master degree in Business Administration (MBA) Charles Sturt University (CSU) Australia via HELP University in Malaysia. Before joining ABU, Mehrnoosh was working with HELP University and previously worked for Global Media Centre for Development (GMCD) – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and also, she has worked as an Executive Assistant to the Director of TV Channel III in establishing the Youth and Sport Channel and Executive Assistant to the IRIB Vice President for Engineering/ Technology during her 20 years career in IRIB. |
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Nazira Omarova Project Manager Nazira Omarova has been a Project Manager at ABU since December 2022. Hailing from Kazakhstan, Nazira has over 15 years of experience at Khabar Agency JSC. In recent times, she worked as the Editor-in-Chief at Channel Khabar 24. |