-By Scott Rosenberg

Founded in 1994, Media Asia, an affiliate of the Lai Sun Group, has been a leader in co-financing, producing and distributing Chinese-language films. First listed on the "big board" in Singapore in 2004, the company de-listed in August 2007. Now Media Asia is wholly owned by Lai Sun and operates under eSun Holdings Limited (both Lai Sun and eSun are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange). eSun is an integrated media and entertainment company focused on the global Chinese audience, under which Media Asia continues to focus on content creation, packaging and distribution of Chinese-language product.
Topping Media Asia and instrumental in its growth is Peter Lam Kin Ngok, CineAsia 2009’s honoree as Producer of the Year.

Lam also serves as executive director of eSun Holding and is a deputy chairman of Lai Sun Garment (International) Ltd. (LSG), chairman of Lai Sun Development Company Ltd. (LSD) and Lai Fung Holdings Ltd., an executive director of Crocodile Garments Ltd., and chairman of Media Asia Entertainment Group Ltd.

With extensive experience in property development and the investment business, Lam is a director of the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong, an executive committee member of the Hong Kong Hotel Owners Association, a council member of the Anglo Hong Kong Trust, a member of the Film Development Council, a member of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and was recently appointed a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

Lam is the younger son of Madam U Po Chu and Lim Por-yen, who founded the Lai Sun Group, and the younger brother of Lam Kin Ming.

Based in Hong Kong, Lam has produced or co-financed more than 60 Chinese-language films, including critically acclaimed blockbusters like The Warlords (2007), The Assembly (2007), Confession of Pain (2006), The Banquet (2006), Exiled (2006), Initial D (2005), Wait Til You’re Older (2005), and the Infernal Affairs trilogy (2002-2003), the latter spawning the Hollywood remake The Departed which won four Oscars in 2007, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Lam has driven Media Asia’s films to win over 140 awards out of some 350 nominations from major international film festivals (e.g., Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Tokyo and Pusan) and award ceremonies such as the Golden Horse Awards and Hong Kong Film Awards.

Having amassed a library of over 269 feature films, Media Asia is second only to the Shaw Brothers’ library in Chinese-language film content.

Shrewdly aware of the convergence of films and new media, Lam has entered into output agreements with leading television stations in Asia, including Star TV (Hong Kong/Taiwan), CCTV 6 (China) and Celestial Movies (Singapore/Malaysia/Indonesia/Brunei). It has also formed a joint venture with China Film Group (China) for film distribution in China.

Little known is that Peter Lam is also the owner of East Asia Music Holdings (EAM), East Asia Record Production Company Ltd. (EARP), Amusic Publilshing Ltd. and Clot Media Division Ltd. (CMD) music companies, which produced, distributed or are currently producing 42 albums for more than 20 different leading Asian artists, acts and compilations. These amount to more than one million units sold to date across Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore and Mainland China.

Lam has signed some of Asia’s most prominent talent, including Andy Lau, Edison Chen, Leon Lai, Sammi Cheng, Miriam Yeung, Andy Hui, Denise Ho, Ivana Wong, Janice, Michael Wong, Jill, Charles Ying, Chet Lam, DJ Tommy, Fama and At17. EAM also features a music library of Andy Lau, containing over 600 songs and 250 music-videoss, as part of its plan to expand its new media distribution business. Lam is truly one of the most prolific entertainment producers in Asia.

Nielsen Business Media VP Robert Sunshine, in announcing the Producer of the Year award, commented, “No one has done more for Asian film than Peter Lam. With his leadership and foresight, he has been responsible for some of the biggest blockbusters in the Asian film market. To be able to honor the man who is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in film, not only in Hong Kong but in the Greater China region and Asia alike, at CineAsia this year is truly a great privilege.”