Executives from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery gathered at APOS 2026 in Bali this week with a shared belief that Asian IP and local storytelling are no longer regional plays, but the streaming industry’s most valuable global assets.
The session titled “Asia’s Streaming Advantage: Growth, Profitability, and What’s Next” featured Kim Min-young, vice president of APAC content (formerly India) at Netflix, Gaurav Gandhi, vice president of APAC and ANZ at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, Tony Zamekowski, senior vice president of Asia Pacific and general manager of direct-to-consumer at The Walt Disney Company, and James, president of APAC at Warner Bros. Discovery. Gibbons mapped out how each platform navigates the increasingly competitive landscape across the region.
For Netflix, local content continues to serve as the foundation of its APAC strategy. “I always think of myself and my team as portfolio managers,” said Kim, noting his successful investments in South Korea, Japan and India. She noted that while local productions remain important in gaining viewers, audiences across Asia are increasingly receptive to international content and global series.
“Asia is a big content hub,” Gandhi added, highlighting Prime Video’s efforts to tailor its strategy to different markets. In Japan, where many Prime Video users come from traditional television, the platform is expanding into areas such as live sports. In India, consumer viewing habits continue to drive investment decisions, and the company is focused on balancing scale and long-term sustainability.
Zameschkowski said quality talent-driven storytelling remains the industry’s most reliable growth engine. He also emphasized the importance of strategic partnerships, citing Disney’s collaboration with Hulu Japan and ESPN’s distribution through Disney+ in markets such as Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Warner Bros. Discovery’s James Gibbons pointed to the enduring power of established series, pointing to Harry Potter as an example of how a strong fan community can drive value across multiple platforms and formats.
“When you have a great fan base, they become the center of the equation,” Gibbons said, noting that markets such as Japan and China continue to demonstrate the commercial power of fan-driven content.
When asked which content categories are most likely to go global in the coming years, several executives emphasized Japanese live-action adaptations and Asian IPs. Kim predicted that Japanese live-action productions and Thai content are poised for broader international success, and Zameszkowski echoed the growing global appeal of Japanese IP.
Drama remains the genre most likely to reach mainstream audiences across borders, Gandhi said, adding that the value of IP continues to grow in the increasingly competitive streaming market.
Meanwhile, Gibbons pointed to vertical format storytelling as a trend that could change viewer behavior in the coming years.
