The Motion Picture Association (MPA) of America has announced Urmila Venugopalan, currently Executive Vice-President of Strategy and Global Operations, will become the organisation’s new President and Managing Director for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, effective January 31, 2025.

According to a media statement from MPA, which is a trade and lobbying body for major studios around the world, Venugopalan will succeed Belinda Lui, who is retiring after five years of leading the MPA in the region.

Venugopalan joined the MPA in 2017 and has worked to align the association’s US and international teams, streamline global operations and increase coordination between the legal and policy functions. In her new role, she will continue to expand MPA members’ access to local markets, promote production in new areas, and strengthen advocacy, operations, and personnel across the Asia-Pacific region.

Working closely with the MPA’s anti-piracy arm, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), she will also focus on protecting the commercial and creative interests of local screen communities. Venugopalan will retain her current responsibilities as the MPA’s corporate board liaison.

MPA serves as the leading voice and advocate of the motion picture, home video, and television industries. Its member studios include Netflix, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, The Walt Disney Studios, Prime Video, Amazon MGM Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery.

“Urmila is a veteran leader who thrives at the complex intersections of business, public policy, and global affairs,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the MPA, in a statement.

“Urmila joined the MPA at a time of critical change and helped revitalize and realign its structure and priorities, strengthening our organization from the inside out. I have full confidence that her deep experience working with every aspect of our global business operations, coupled with her existing corporate board liaison responsibilities, will advance our members’ objectives across the Asia Pacific and beyond,” he added.

Based in Tokyo, Venugopalan will report to Gail MacKinnon, MPA Senior Executive Vice President, Global Policy & Government Affairs.

MacKinnon, while welcoming Venugopalan to her new responsibilities, also expressed gratitude to Belinda Lui for effectively navigating the APAC ship till now.

“The Asia-Pacific region has already played an important part in the history of our industry – and is set to assume a starring role in the future of great storytelling,” said Venugopalan, “At this critical juncture for the film, television and streaming industries, MPA members are more excited than ever about the vitality of this region – its enthusiastic and engaged audiences, its relentless dynamism, and its immensely talented casts and crews. I look forward to supporting our member studios and their local partners in their collective efforts to fuel local economies and enrich cultures across the region.”

Prior to joining the MPA, Venugopalan served as a member of the Policy Planning Staff at the US State Department in Washington and as a senior consultant at the Albright Stonebridge Group.