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.

Tan Hock Guan
Part-Time Asiavision Coordinator
Tan is Asiavision’s former Senior Editor and the longest serving member of the team. He stepped down in 2019 to retire, but agreed in 2020 to resume part-time work. Tan joined the ABU in 2001 after working as a print journalist and his major was in English. He has helped steer Asiavision through many changes over the years. He is a respected source of advice to the rest of the team and plays an important role in ensuring consistency and quality control.

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).

Nhisha Parmanadan
Asiavision Senior Producer/Coordinator
Nhisha 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

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.

Shabana Jan
News Project Officer
Shabana makes sure our members have the support and advice they need to take part in ABU activities. She has successfully co-ordinated more than 40 projects in 10 countries and is the key point of contact for members during our international events. Before joining the ABU in 2012, Shabana was a Public Relations Manager for various dignitaries as well as Royal Brunei Airlines and British Airways. She was also Director of Communication at Lim Kok Wing University.