ABU Secretariat
The ABU Secretariat, located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, serves as the Union’s central administrative and operational hub, coordinating ABU activities, governance, member services, and regional initiatives.
Ahmed Nadeem
The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, Ahmed Nadeem, who is the chief executive officer of the ABU and is responsible for all of the Union’s activities. He reports to the Administrative Council and the General Assembly.The Secretary-General’s office handles the administration, staffing, public, international relations, finance and information systems of the ABU. ABU Media Academy supports capacity-building, professional development, training, and knowledge-sharing for media professionals across the ABU membership. The Secretariat has four other departments: ABU Programming, ABU Technology, ABU Sports and ABU News, each headed by a director who reports directly to the Secretary-General.
ABU Senior Management Team
The ABU Secretariat Management team lead by the Secretary-General/CEO is responsible for driving the Union’s strategic direction and overseeing its day-to-day operations. Working closely with members, partners, and stakeholders, the team ensures that initiatives are delivered effectively and aligned with the Union’s objectives. Through strong leadership and a forward-looking approach, Management plays a key role in strengthening the Union’s presence, enhancing member value, and positioning the ABU at the forefront of the broadcasting industry.
Cai Yanjiang
Aoki Kazunori
ABU Programming
Indra Singh
Mr Ahmed Nadeem
Indra Prakash Singh
Cai Yanjiang
Dr Veysel Binbay
Aoki Kazunori
Nargiza Numanova
Head of Secretary -
General's Office
Afif Ghafar
Executive Assistant - Secretary General
Ruchi Malhotra
Manager-Members & Institutional Relations
Seemantani Sharma
Manager Regulatory - Legal & IP Services
Suriani Md Mustaffa
Manager - Human
Resource and Administration
Cassandra Praba
Manager - Publications & Communication
Nadzim Zainal
Senior Creative Designer
Nur Shahida
Team Assistant
Anis Aiman
Admin Assistant
Putera Afiq
Manager Production & Delivery Tech
Saravana Kuma
Project Manager, Media Streaming &
Web App
Adil Siddiqui
Broadcast Engineer
Badrul Iman
Information Systems & Web Technologies Officer
Muhammad Eirfan
Web Developer
Siva Kumar
Manager ICT Services
Sharzuan Mat
Officer - ICT Support
Nur Aqilah
Assistant to Director
Siti Balqis
Team Assistant
Aoki Kazunori
Director of Programming
Andrew Davies
Head of Radio
Fathimath Leeza
Head of TV
Imanali Anuar
Project Manager New Media
Lai Kai Yan
Assistant Manager
Naim Ramin
Team Assistant
Muhammad Khamsi
Team Assistant
Cai Yanjiang
Director of Sports
Amir Khaidar
Senior Project Manager
Swaroophaa Chelvi
Manager of Sports
Mohamad Izzuddin
Team Assistant
Indra Singh
Director of News
Prasad Dodangodage
Senior Editor
Amira Ismail
News Producer
Prema Javaraman
News Producer
Nerina Rosli
News Projects Officer
Azwan Abdul Azis
Finance Manager
Fariza Ibrahim
Finance Officer
Kuamis Kimjun
Senior Accounts Assistant
Mimie Zamri
Junior Finance Assistant
Vacancy
Accounts Assistant
Nimmala Shanmuganathan
Head of Media Academy
Aswandi Amin
Manager of Program Media Academy
Norshida Meor Hashim
Team Assistant
Secretaries-General of the ABU
Leadership of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union
Secretaries-General of the ABU
Leadership of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union
2023 – Present
Mr Ahmed Nadeem
is the Secretary-General of the ABU. He was appointed on 24 November 2022 and assumed office on 1 April 2023. Nadeem is an experienced electronic and ICT engineer with over 25 years of experience in the field of Broadcasting and Telecommunications. He joined the ABU in 2008 as Head of Studio Technology and Training at ABU Technology Department. He assumed the position in Director ABU Technology in 2018. Before joining the ABU, he worked as a Project Engineer at LSV Enterprises in Singapore (2007-2008) and before that he worked as Chief Engineer at Television Maldives, the public broadcaster in the Maldives (1996-2007).
2010 – 2023
Dr Javad Mottaghi
was Secretary-General from May 2010 to March 2023.
He has nearly four decades of national and international experience in broadcasting. Before joining the ABU, he was Director of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) for 12 years, where he has received the “Special Lifetime Achievement Award” in recognition of his contribution towards the Institute.
Dr Mottaghi has also been awarded the Elizabeth R. Award for Exceptional Contribution to Public Service Broadcasting in 2009. He is a Member of the Board for the World Radio & Television Council (WRTVC) since 2001, Associate Member of “The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in New York” since December 2002 and Member of the Standardization Committee for ISAS BC 9001 and ISO 9001.
2002 – 2010
David Astley
was Secretary-General from 2002 to 2010.
He started his career as a print media journalist in the UK and moved into the electronic media whilst working in Australia where he managed several regional television and radio networks, including six years as Managing Director of two listed media companies.
In 1997 he moved to Asia where he worked in management services and business development in the pay-TV sector before joining the ABU.
1985 – 2002
Hugh Leonard
was Secretary-General from 1985 to 2002.
This was a period of immense change in broadcasting worldwide, which was reflected in corresponding change in the ABU itself.
He was involved with the ABU for nearly 30 years. He attended his first General Assembly in 1974, representing FBC-Fiji, of which he was General Manager at the time.
He was later elected a Vice President of the ABU before becoming Secretary-General.
Mr Leonard is the author of Four Decades of Unity, a history of the ABU published in 2005.
1979 – 1985
Roku Ito
was Secretary-General from 1979 to 1985.
He had a long association with the ABU. As a senior executive of NHK-Japan, he was employed in the Tokyo office of the ABU as an Assistant to the Secretary-General from 1965 to 1967.
Mr Ito attended all the General Assemblies from 1972 to 1979 and was Chairman of the Sports Working Party for its first two years, 1978 and 1979.
At the time of his appointment as Secretary-General, Mr Ito held the position of Controller, General Broadcasting Administration, in NHK.
1977 – 1979
Dr Kambiz Mahmoudi
was Secretary-General from 1977 to 1979.
He had been associated with the ABU since the 1969 General Assembly as a delegate of National Iranian Radio and Television (NIRT). NIRT is now known as Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
He served as an Administrative Councillor and at the time of his appointment was the Chairman of the Programme Committee.
1964 – 1977
Sir Charles Moses
was the first Secretary-General, serving from 1964 to 1977. He was formerly General Manager of ABC-Australia, a foundation member of the ABU.
He was one of the driving forces behind the formation of the Union and chaired the first General Assembly in 1964.
Sir Charles was also the ABU’s first historian, writing Diverse Unity, a history of the Union published in 1978.
2023 – Present
Mr Ahmed Nadeem
is the Secretary-General of the ABU. He was appointed on 24 November 2022 and assumed office on 1 April 2023. Nadeem is an experienced electronic and ICT engineer with over 25 years of experience in the field of Broadcasting and Telecommunications. He joined the ABU in 2008 as Head of Studio Technology and Training at ABU Technology Department. He assumed the position in Director ABU Technology in 2018. Before joining the ABU, he worked as a Project Engineer at LSV Enterprises in Singapore (2007-2008) and before that he worked as Chief Engineer at Television Maldives, the public broadcaster in the Maldives (1996-2007).
2010 – 2023
Dr Javad Mottaghi
was Secretary-General from May 2010 to March 2023.
He has nearly four decades of national and international experience in broadcasting. Before joining the ABU, he was Director of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) for 12 years, where he has received the “Special Lifetime Achievement Award” in recognition of his contribution towards the Institute.
Dr Mottaghi has also been awarded the Elizabeth R. Award for Exceptional Contribution to Public Service Broadcasting in 2009. He is a Member of the Board for the World Radio & Television Council (WRTVC) since 2001, Associate Member of “The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in New York” since December 2002 and Member of the Standardization Committee for ISAS BC 9001 and ISO 9001.
2002 – 2010
David Astley
was Secretary-General from 2002 to 2010.
He started his career as a print media journalist in the UK and moved into the electronic media whilst working in Australia where he managed several regional television and radio networks, including six years as Managing Director of two listed media companies.
In 1997 he moved to Asia where he worked in management services and business development in the pay-TV sector before joining the ABU.
1985 – 2002
Hugh Leonard
was Secretary-General from 1985 to 2002.
This was a period of immense change in broadcasting worldwide, which was reflected in corresponding change in the ABU itself.
He was involved with the ABU for nearly 30 years. He attended his first General Assembly in 1974, representing FBC-Fiji, of which he was General Manager at the time.
He was later elected a Vice President of the ABU before becoming Secretary-General.
Mr Leonard is the author of Four Decades of Unity, a history of the ABU published in 2005.
1979 – 1985
Roku Ito
was Secretary-General from 1979 to 1985.
He had a long association with the ABU. As a senior executive of NHK-Japan, he was employed in the Tokyo office of the ABU as an Assistant to the Secretary-General from 1965 to 1967.
Mr Ito attended all the General Assemblies from 1972 to 1979 and was Chairman of the Sports Working Party for its first two years, 1978 and 1979.
At the time of his appointment as Secretary-General, Mr Ito held the position of Controller, General Broadcasting Administration, in NHK.
1977 – 1979
Dr Kambiz Mahmoudi
was Secretary-General from 1977 to 1979.
He had been associated with the ABU since the 1969 General Assembly as a delegate of National Iranian Radio and Television (NIRT). NIRT is now known as Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
He served as an Administrative Councillor and at the time of his appointment was the Chairman of the Programme Committee.
1964 – 1977
Sir Charles Moses
was the first Secretary-General, serving from 1964 to 1977. He was formerly General Manager of ABC-Australia, a foundation member of the ABU.
He was one of the driving forces behind the formation of the Union and chaired the first General Assembly in 1964.
Sir Charles was also the ABU’s first historian, writing Diverse Unity, a history of the Union published in 1978.
2023 – Present
Mr Ahmed Nadeem
is the Secretary-General of the ABU. He was appointed on 24 November 2022 and assumed office on 1 April 2023. Nadeem is an experienced electronic and ICT engineer with over 25 years of experience in the field of Broadcasting and Telecommunications. He joined the ABU in 2008 as Head of Studio Technology and Training at ABU Technology Department. He assumed the position in Director ABU Technology in 2018. Before joining the ABU, he worked as a Project Engineer at LSV Enterprises in Singapore (2007-2008) and before that he worked as Chief Engineer at Television Maldives, the public broadcaster in the Maldives (1996-2007).
2010 – 2023
Dr Javad Mottaghi
was Secretary-General from May 2010 to March 2023.
He has nearly four decades of national and international experience in broadcasting. Before joining the ABU, he was Director of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) for 12 years, where he has received the “Special Lifetime Achievement Award” in recognition of his contribution towards the Institute.
Dr Mottaghi has also been awarded the Elizabeth R. Award for Exceptional Contribution to Public Service Broadcasting in 2009. He is a Member of the Board for the World Radio & Television Council (WRTVC) since 2001, Associate Member of “The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in New York” since December 2002 and Member of the Standardization Committee for ISAS BC 9001 and ISO 9001.
2002 – 2010
David Astley
was Secretary-General from 2002 to 2010.
He started his career as a print media journalist in the UK and moved into the electronic media whilst working in Australia where he managed several regional television and radio networks, including six years as Managing Director of two listed media companies.
In 1997 he moved to Asia where he worked in management services and business development in the pay-TV sector before joining the ABU.
1985 – 2002
Hugh Leonard
was Secretary-General from 1985 to 2002.
This was a period of immense change in broadcasting worldwide, which was reflected in corresponding change in the ABU itself.
He was involved with the ABU for nearly 30 years. He attended his first General Assembly in 1974, representing FBC-Fiji, of which he was General Manager at the time.
He was later elected a Vice President of the ABU before becoming Secretary-General.
Mr Leonard is the author of Four Decades of Unity, a history of the ABU published in 2005.
1979 – 1985
Roku Ito
was Secretary-General from 1979 to 1985.
He had a long association with the ABU. As a senior executive of NHK-Japan, he was employed in the Tokyo office of the ABU as an Assistant to the Secretary-General from 1965 to 1967.
Mr Ito attended all the General Assemblies from 1972 to 1979 and was Chairman of the Sports Working Party for its first two years, 1978 and 1979.
At the time of his appointment as Secretary-General, Mr Ito held the position of Controller, General Broadcasting Administration, in NHK.
1977 – 1979
Dr Kambiz Mahmoudi
was Secretary-General from 1977 to 1979.
He had been associated with the ABU since the 1969 General Assembly as a delegate of National Iranian Radio and Television (NIRT). NIRT is now known as Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
He served as an Administrative Councillor and at the time of his appointment was the Chairman of the Programme Committee.
1964 – 1977
Sir Charles Moses
was the first Secretary-General, serving from 1964 to 1977. He was formerly General Manager of ABC-Australia, a foundation member of the ABU.
He was one of the driving forces behind the formation of the Union and chaired the first General Assembly in 1964.
Sir Charles was also the ABU’s first historian, writing Diverse Unity, a history of the Union published in 1978.