Astro Chief Steps Down

KUALA LUMPUR, January 28:
Robert Odendaal, the CEO of Malaysian pay-TV giant Astro All Asia Networks
(AAAN), is stepping down, effective April 15, citing “personal and lifestyle
reasons.”

The company’s board is
seeking a successor. In the interim, Ralph Marshall, the executive deputy
chairman of the company, will take over Odendaal’s responsibilities, effective
April 15.

Announcing his
resignation, Odendaal said: “I am grateful for the opportunity to have served
AAAN over the past year and I believe that the company is in a strong position
to grow and develop its businesses further. In my experience, AAAN is a
world-class pay-TV ad media company with performance metrics that benchmark
strongly by any standard of excellence. My decision to leave is based on
lifestyle decisions, and it was with some personal regret that I tendered my
resignation to the Board. I wish the company every success in the future and
have offered to assist in any possible way leading up to my departure.”

—By Mansha Daswani