HONG KONG – Man Shu Sum has been tapped as head of Mark Burnett Productions Asia and will quit as director of strategic relations at Singapore's Media Development Authority in May.

          MBPA, was launched in October as a $20 million joint venture between Mark Burnett Productions and casino and leisure giant Genting. Plan is to produce original game show and reality content for Asian broadcasters and license those formats in markets around the world, including the U.S. Unit will also distribute Mark Burnett Productions shows within Asia, excluding Japan and the Middle East.

          Man, who was three years at the MDA, effectively headed the MDA's film initiatives until a reshuffle last fall which put him in a more strategic role. He was concurrently director of the Singapore Film Commission and expects to continue as a SFC board member while with MBPA.

         "Yes, a search for Mr Man's replacement is ongoing," MDA CEO Dr Christopher Chia, said.

       "Mark Burnett Productions Asia did an exhaustive search for the perfect fit in over 10 countries,  and seriously considered more than 20 candidates, all of whom experts in the television and production business," C. Scot Cru, Executive (International), Mark Burnett Productions, on Mr Man’s appointment: "Man's broad range of television experience, business expertise and knowledge of how to get business done in Asia made it a no-brainer for us when it was time to make a final decision"

          MBPA is currently located within the corporate offices of Genting in Singapore and will enjoy use of a purpose-built studio within the $5bn Sentosa mega resort complex that company is currently building and expects to open in early 2010.

            "The Singapore media industry is moving in the right direction and becoming internationally-recognized, and will be able to capitalize on the rising global demand for Asian content, Man said. "It is with this assurance that I have decided to move on to another media company that will be in the business of creating Asian content for the international market. I believe that I will continue to enjoy a synergistic working relationship with MDA, while sharing the same vision for Singapore Media."

               MBPA has not yet announced its first projects, but Mark Burnett Productions and Omnimedia recently used Singapore as the location for "Contender Asia," a hit regional version of the "Contender" unscripted drama. Contender Asia" pits 16 Muay Thai fighters in a race for a $250,000 prize. Also involved were local and foreign celebrities including Jason Scott Lee, Allan Wu, Li Lin, Colby Miller, Eunice Olsen, and Korean-American actor, Daniel Henney.

              Man worked for years in journalism and TV in Hong Kong in the 1980s and 1990s at a time TVB was schooling helmers such as Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam. He then relocated to Singapore and launched a career as a TV producer.